LOVING EDWARD
by CullenFest
Summary: Breaking Dawn story: the adventures of Edward & Bella's from their first night together as vampires and thru the weeks beyond until December when they get news of the Volturi. M rated for a reason.
1. Gently Does It

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I am just thankful to be allowed to sneak in and play make believe.**

Inspired by Breaking Dawn, this is my version of Edward and Bella's voyage of sexual discovery from the night they go to their cottage in the woods, after the tumultuous day of Bella's introduction to vampirehood, motherhood and meeting the family as an equal.

**Warning: there will be adult language from the start and zesty, zingy lemons through the story as from Chapter 2. A lemon juice a day keeps the doctor away!**

Music is huge in my life, as it is with Stephenie Meyer, and so for this chapter, I have chosen Foo Fighters "Home" as the vibe to work from. I'm sure both Edward and Bella would approve – their journey has been a poignant one but they've come full circle:

**CHAPTER 1: GENTLY DOES IT**

**BELLA'S POV:**

It had been quite a day all in all, certainly not a birthday I would forget in a hurry. It had been filled with all sorts of new vivid sensations – thirst, fear, smells, bloodlust, wonder, bewilderment, wildness, anger, pure love and, most of all, scorching desire.

My mind flicked back over the course of the day as we walked the few remaining yards to the door of the cottage, our new cottage. Sharp images flooded my spacious new mind – the breathtaking first view with my new eyes of a flawless Edward staring back at me, the powerful and riveting first kiss, the shock of my new crimson irises reflected back at me in the mirror when they should have been pools of chocolate, the thrill of my new powers on the first hunt and the grin of satisfaction for both Edward and for me when I made my first kill, then the overwhelming experience of meeting our daughter properly for the first time.

How could Edward and I have created such a perfect child? How could life have been turned on its head so quickly? It was hard to take in that I was a new being and a new mother all at the same time. Goodness, but I was certainly going to need LOTS of room in my head to get around those thoughts.

First, however, we had this first evening alone together as vampires to get through. The tension between Edward and I was electric as my fleeting thoughts brought us closer to the front door. Alice's departing giggle had nudged into my head the proper meaning of this next patch of time alone with Edward. I realised that I would no doubt be sharing the experience with her visionary mind and that notion was in itself a little daunting, as well as disturbing. That was a part of Cullen life I'd have to get used to.

My darling Edward was of course determined to do his gentlemanly new ritual of sweeping me across the threshold of our new home. This romantic side of his nature was just one more element to add to the thousands of reasons why I so loved this elegant man, my treasure, my hero and my angel. He had fought many battles over the years since his transformation into a vampire, but it seemed that the toughest battle of all had been the one he'd fought with himself over me and how our relationship should develop while I was still human. Of course, events had overtaken us and now all his worries seemed to have fallen away to insignificance at this moment. I looked into Edward's eyes and saw a soul at peace at last. I couldn't have been more thankful, or so I thought.

Edward planted a kiss on my lips, winked at me and although he didn't need to, took a deep breath before sweeping us through the doorway into our marital home. My mind started processing all the details I could see of Esme's superlative interior design. She'd created a look so natural that it must actually have taken alot of talent and thought to pull it together. The whole vibe of the cottage was relaxed and, as I looked around, I noted the delicate touches which Esme had brought to our home – the worn but much-loved pieces of furniture, the artwork, the earthy tones and natural textures which she knew I loved, a touch of Arizona desert mixed with sandy beach and greenery which echoed our wonderful honeymoon location. The blue-green colours of the driftwood fire only added to the magical feel of the place.

The electric tension which I had felt between us outside the cottage increased palpably as Edward carried me through the rooms one by one, contentedly explaining how the family had pulled together to create this piece of heaven on Earth. With all the events leading up to our wedding, I could barely imagine how they'd had time to do this without my knowledge. The tour of the cottage culminated at the doorway to what I now knew would be our bedroom. The air was fairly crackling with sparks as Edward opened the door and I got my first glimpse into our own private nest.

With a kiss on the cheek, Edward set me down on my feet. I gasped as I clapped eyes on the scene before me: the bright white walls reflected back the light from a hundred candles nestled on every surface. The imposing bed, evidently a twin of the one we had wrecked on Isle Esme, stood big and proud to the left of the room, its bedspread covered with flower petals. On the thickly carpeted floor were a variety of large natural clear crystals and amethyst cathedrals, stationed around the edge of the room.

The candlelight bounced off and through the crystals, scattering myriad colours onto the walls which danced with movement, almost like fireflies or the woodland fairies in Fantasia. The delicious smell of jasmine and bougainvillea, from strategically placed plantpots, assaulted my nostrils and took me right back to the island for an instant. I smiled at the memory of that and turned to look at Edward. He gazed back at me, watching my expression with a gentle smile warming his face, waiting for my reaction.

"Wow, I really feel like I've come home" I said quietly, overawed by the beauty of the scene.

"Well you have, my love" he responded.

I entered the room ahead of Edward and stood there, looking around further, drinking in the atmosphere and noting some familiar objects which had migrated to the house. My gorgeous husband came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. Moving my hair to one side, he sweetly kissed my neck, putting his arms around me, swaying me from side to side in a gentle bearhug as I breathed in the scents some more.

"So do you like it?" he breathed in my ear.

"I swear if I were still human, I'd have goosebumps right at this moment" was all I could say. "Esme is truly an artist".

"Yeah, maddening as my family can be at times, they surely do have some talents. Nothing gives them greater pleasure than to make someone else happy and they were fairly giddy with happiness planning all this. Even Carlisle ditched his rounds for a few days to help put up shelves and hammer that copper hood over the stove in the living room. He's pretty good with his hands, you know...".

Edward was pretty good with his hands too. With that comment, Edward started to gently pepper more kisses down my neck and along my shoulder, moving the fabric of my ripped dress aside as he worked his way to the edge. He then moved slowly to do the same to my other shoulder. I leaned back into him and moaned a little, content to stand there in his arms. The feel of his lips on my skin was like being rubbed with static electricity. I was surprised to find that my newly formed skin, although tough on the outside, was actually super sensitive. I could sense that Edward was aware of how I might be feeling and he was enjoying bringing this new sensation to me. He chuckled as I shuddered under his touch. He then gentle blew over the surface of my skin and that's when my hairs stood on end. His hands moved slowly up the front of my ripped dress, lingering on the patches of skin they encountered on the way up, caressing me teasingly until they came to rest on my breasts. My natural reaction was to lean harder back into him. With that, I could feel he was also really enjoying himself - his evident arousal made the connection of our bodies more delicious.

Although we had of course been pretty intimate on our honeymoon, our lovemaking had necessarily been fairly controlled. As Edward's fingers gently made circles around my breasts, bringing my nipples to attention, I wondered how he would proceed now that I had been transformed. A twinge of heat flared in my belly, but for the moment, I delighted in his gentleness as he subtly warmed my soul with his touch and reminded me that vampires could indeed be very tender. My first instinct was to be bashful like I had been on honeymoon, but I knew that my Edward could now be the Edward I had wanted him to be all along – free to love me how he desired and how I had dreamed of since first acknowledging my own human attraction to him and his strengths.

As that fleeting thought gave way to a new wave of sensations from his caresses, I turned around to face Edward, clasping my arms around his neck and looked deep into his eyes. His irises were like charcoal, lids heavy with lust, an expectant smile curving across his face, making his eyes crinkle slightly. At that moment, with my chest snuggling pertly up to his, Edward just about purred before pressing his lips to mine, pushing his tongue forward into my mouth and breathing his delicious scent over me. That insistent touch triggered an immediate primal response in me and I surrendered, letting myself go in the passion of our kiss.

***

**Phew! So that's the first snippet. Now for some lemony loving.....read on McDuff!**


	2. Carpet Burn

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I am just thankful to be allowed to sneak in and play make believe.**

**Warning: full on lemons in this part!!!**

**Music: **The choice for this was no contest: it just had to be Bad Company's "Feel Like Making Love", one of the most sensual songs I've ever heard. I was lucky enough to meet Paul Rodgers once as my uncle used to work at the garage locally to where the band recorded at the time. We nearly crossed paths again 20 years later at my place of work - I caught sight of him from the stairs and he still looked pretty damned good! Sigh....

**CHAPTER 2: CARPET BURN**

**BPOV:**

My hands grasped his hair urgently and I pulled him even closer, if that were possible. I sucked hard on Edward's tongue and then ran my own up and down his lips. He moaned and quivered at my touch, hugging me more tightly, letting me know by the very firm bulge in his trousers that he was having a pretty good time. It was a good job that vampires don't technically need to breathe because I swear that we didn't stop kissing for a good ten minutes as we tasted each other fully and forcefully.

Kissing Edward had always been my greatest joy as a human, but of course he generally ended up pushing me away as we veered dangerously close to crossing his self-imposed line. Where Edward's passionate kisses had left me with swollen lips on our honeymoon, I gratefully acknowledged that I could hold my own with him now and had set about showing him that fact. His smell drove me mad with desire. I clung to him like a limpet, crushing him to me.

"I can't get enough of your taste" he whispered hoarsely in my ear, moving on to the sweet area behind it, licking and sucking my lobe as he passed, nipping and grazing my neck and jawline to the other side and repeating the journey there. Each assault sent heatwaves down my body and my legs almost rebelled against standing any more. I thought I was going to pass out with pleasure and so pushed Edward roughly down on to the carpet, anxious to uncover his body and take control of him for a change. He let out a dirty laugh as I looked at his body hungrily but he waited for me to make the next move. My unconscious thoughts leapt a thousand different ways. Kiss him? Suck him? Bite him? Stroke him? Put his hands on my body? Rip his clothes off? Rip mine off?

"Well my outfit is ruined, so there's no point beating about the bush is there?" I hinted huskily, leaning forward to give Edward another deep kiss.

"In that case, allow me..." and one second later, my silk dress and his old shirt I'd been wearing were whisked away from my body. Edward had barely dropped the clothes on the floor when I'd done likewise with his own shirt. I rubbed my hands swiftly down his torso, admiring his abs once more and absorbing his physique with my new eyesight. If I'd thought his body perfection before, seeing the musculature in fine detail really was a sight to behold. I could barely believe that he was all mine. I sighed deeply and kept running my hands over him. How I'd ached for his body for months.

While I was stunned into momentary reverie, awestruck by his beauty, Edward took advantage and whipped me underneath him. His eyes roamed greedily over my body as he took in my lacy underwear. "Wow, " he murmured, "Alice has a good taste in lingerie. Never mind, I'm sure we can get you some more." and with that he ripped off my underwear to reveal my new sculpted body.

"Oh my God, you're perfect" he whispered with a low moan and took one of my nipples into his mouth. He licked round the edge of it with his tongue, gently pulling and sucking. He then moved on to the other one, giving it the same measure of adoration. I gasped involuntarily and arched towards him. I could feel my groin react sharply to his ministrations with my chest. Feeling my twitch, Edward gently slid his hand down towards my mound, cupping it and then sliding a finger down into my folds and finding that sensitive bud of nerves waiting for him there.

I let out a grunt and a moan as he touched my sex, which only served to urge Edward on. He scooted his body back a bit and brought his face down to where my thighs met. Looking at me intently all the while, he lifted me up slightly, supporting my weight in his hands and then brought his tongue to my folds. When he made contact, I threw my head back and dived headlong into endless searing sensations as his tongue made love to my core, encouraging me to open up further to him and just take all the pleasure he wanted to give me. _I can't believe he's doing this to me....where did he learn that?......_

If I'd thought that his tongue had worked magic on our honeymoon, this was something way beyond that. My new body was multiplying its response exponentially and I could feel myself being swept away as his tongue dipped in and out, lapping up my juices and bringing me to the point of climax again and again, but never quite tipping me over it. He would pull back and blow on me, sending a new wave of sensations over my sex and tingling me from head to foot. He chuckled with joy at the sight of me fisting the carpet, hanging on while I rode wave after wave of pleasure. This was the Bella he wanted to see and my joy was his joy. _Can't hold on.....oh I want you inside me......Edward......._

After bringing me to the edge of climax for the umpteenth time and when I thought I could take no more, he set me down exultantly and crept back up towards my face. Holding his weight above me on one arm, he dipped his tongue into my mouth, sharing the taste and smell of my own sex with me. He unbuttoned his jeans with the other hand and shed the garment and underwear in an instant. His cock, in all its magnificence, sprang free. I couldn't take my eyes off it.

"Are you ready to take me inside you?" he asked breathily.

"Oh God yes...." I purred.

"Are you sure?" he rubbed me again and I almost climaxed at his touch.

"Oh yes please...." I urged, quivering with anticipation. _Please.....now.......fill me......._

"Well I have been waiting a century to mate properly and I think we're going to enjoy this cos I'm going to fuck you senseless". The words from his lips were so unexpected but so erotic that I lost myself in anticipation of him making good on his promise. He growled deliciously and with one thrust, entered me and started to worship me from the inside. He filled me swiftly with his hardness and it felt like a completely new experience to the one we'd had on honeymoon. Where he'd been cold inside me only a month before, he was now warm and fit inside me perfectly. I could feel every inch of his length pound into me steadily and powerfully as he started building speed. _oh yes..........oh my fucking god........._

"Harder, Edward, please" I begged him as I clung to him, legs wrapped around his waist, arms hooked over his shoulders. He rained kisses on me, lunging his tongue into my mouth hungrily, holding my face in his hand and making pleasure noises I hadn't noticed before but which made me sing inside. I moaned and bucked under him as he pounded insistently into me.

He then adjusted our position slightly, moving my legs up onto his shoulders so he could go more deeply into me. _what the...........? _I'd thought I was already in heaven but oh my goodness this was something else again. At this angle, I could feel the tip of his cock hitting the top of my cervix. It was mindblowing! _Oh.....my.....god..........unhh........_

Each new push by him flamed my desire for him further and I superheated inside. I could barely take in each new sensation. Senseless indeed! I looked up at Edward as he worked over me and could see his eyes were now shut: his expression was one of pure animal pleasure, but with an almost blissful smile on his face. My heart, if it had still been beating, would have sung out in happiness that I could do this to him. Had I still been human, my hips would surely have been dislocated by now, and so I revelled in the newfound strength and pleasuring which this new body was bringing me and to him. Hell, this was just orgasmic!

Edward's enjoyment fuelled my own desire and I let out another loud moan as his thrusting increased in speed and intensity even further. He briefly looked down at me, saw my own want of him, even through my crimson eyes, and he reached forward, bending me nearly double, to kiss me roughly as we raced towards the inevitable crescendo of our union. A momentary thought flashed through my head: _glad I'm indestructible............that's so good......_

Nothing could have prepared me for this experience as a vampire - I screamed his name, arched my back, sparks of light exploding in my head, warmth flooding my groin. My muscles contracted frantically around Edward's cock, driving him over into the abyss of pleasure with me. He poured his soul and essence into me and kept rocking until he was emptied.

We stayed locked together for some time, letting the overwhelming feelings wash over us until he slumped onto my chest, withdrew from me and kissed me once again, very slowly and sensually. He flopped down at my side and embraced me, pulling me to his chest.

"Oh my word, that was intense" was all I could say when my mind could formulate words again.

"Oh yeah - intense indeed" he groaned. "I love you so much Mrs Cullen. Welcome to my world."

We grinned at each other and then belly-laughed.

* * *

**Mmmm I can hardly type right now after that outpouring. Do we want more? I think we probably do.... so here goes nothing ----**

**Thanks for reading - hope it brought a little light (or zing!) in your lives. Please review if you don't mind. My first fanfic and I'm dreading the comments lol.**


	3. Showering with Love

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I am just thankful to be allowed to sneak in and play make believe.**

**Warning: **I really need to calm down, but it ain't going to happen! Some more **lemons in this one. Juicy, plump & waxed!**

**Music: **Now to music selection, this covers two things - the mystery to Edward of Bella's mind and also his worship of her body. So who else knew the art of making love better than the gorgeous Michael Hutchence, much missed, bless his soul? So for me it's INXS "Mystify" - the lyrics of this song take on a richer subtext when applied to Edward and Bella.

**CHAPTER 3: SHOWERING WITH LOVE**

**BPOV:**

"So how do you like being a vampire so far, my love?" Edward asked of me when I'd come down from my high. He lay by my side on the carpet, propped up on one elbow, stroking my skin idly.

"Well, it's pretty good so far. " I looked up at Edward. "At this point on our honeymoon, I was feeling a bit bruised and sore, but right now, it feels pretty darned good to be a loved-up vampire."

"Glad you approve," he responded, wryly.

I grinned at Edward and waggled my eyebrows. "It's just as well we can't get carpet burn! Shagged out on shag-pile carpet, as Austin Powers would say!"

He dazzled me with his smile in return and I could only think how lucky I was to have this Adonis in my life.

"I don't know about you, but I could do with a shower after our romp in the woods earlier." I roused myself and gave him a peck on the cheek before getting to my feet. "Want to join me?"

"You don't need to shower now if you don't want to, you know, my love. We don't sweat and dirt doesn't cling to our skin." He looked up at me from his prone position on the floor, showing no inclination to move, extending his arm up to pull me back down to the floor.

"Yeah, I kind of knew that, but the thought of a shower feels comforting. It sort of harks back to when I lived at Dad's, when I needed my "human moments", but harbored naughty thoughts of you waiting in my bedroom while I cleaned up".

_Boy, I had to work hard not to let the cat out of the bag back then._

Edward beamed at my comment. "Well, you should've heard my thoughts then when you were in the shower, my love. Your Dad would've put me in jail for sure!"

I put a hand on my hip and swaggered slightly, proud of this new body. "So, are you coming then?"

"Well I suppose soap and water can be fun." Edward answered gleefully and finally made the move to stand.

"Last one in gets to clean up afterwards!" I threw at him over my shoulder and dashed for the bathroom.

The new bathroom was tiled throughout and almost large enough to play basketball in. I suspected Alice had had a hand in this arrangement and no doubt she planned to fill the surfaces with sweet smelling potions for fun, like she had in the days when I was still human. The shower stall was big enough to house an army and the shower itself was a luxury design with spray jets all the way down its length.

I reached the shower stall first and turned the hot water fully on. I ducked under the cascade of water and started to shampoo my hair.

Edward quickly stepped in behind me and took over the head massage, kissing my cheek gently for good measure.

This reminded me of our honeymoon, when he'd obliged similarly on a few occasions, but had not taken things any further due to his belief that he would have a hard time controlling himself. Of course, back then I was still easily breakable. The memories, although dimmed, were too recent to have been forgotten yet.

When my hair had been rinsed off, Edward then proceeded to soap down my body with jasmine-scented shower cream. It felt wonderful.

He initially started with me facing away from him, so he could attack my front with gusto (and both hands) and reach all the corners he'd not long before worshipped. I giggled a fair bit while I tried not to be impaled on his manhood, which was obviously rising to the occasion again.

This looked promising.

I was learning that showering like this was quite an erotic experience and I took an involuntary breath from old habit and waited for the tingles. They did not disappoint. My new skin was ultra-sensitive and my body's response amazing.

When I felt Edward had attended to my front for long enough, I turned around and let him do a pretty good soaping of my back and buttocks. I cuddled into his chest, worshipping his nipples in return and had my tummy gently buffetted by his manhood.

He then knelt down and soaped my legs, paying particularly attention to my undercarriage again. He started to kiss me from my mound upwards, slowly working his way up to my chest. He adored each breast in turn, before moving on up to my collarbone and face, where he kissed me deeply and lovingly. I groaned with the pleasure of his attentions.

With huge effort, I broke from him and picked up the soap and started to return the favour of the body rub.

I started at his chest, worked my way round his torso while he stood there relaxed and smiling at me, letting me take my time as I headed southwards.

I was thankful Edward couldn't read my mind, because I knelt down swiftly, before he could move away. I quickly took his gorgeous cock into my mouth. He let out a long hiss of pleasure and looked down at me with surprised eyes. His eyelids were heavy with lust.

I hadn't been brave enough to try this manoeuvre on honeymoon, but with my new heightened senses, the scent of him was all too enticing. I wanted to absorb all of him into my being and now was a good time to work on that task.

I was going to enjoy this and hopefully, so would he.

Edward put his hand on my head and gently encouraged me to keep going. I gently swirled my tongue around his tip, feeling my way along it, showering it with kisses and nipping lightly along its length. With one hand, I held his hip to keep him steady. With the other, I grasped the base of his shaft.

He moaned with pleasure as my lips made contact along his length. I found his response and smell so arousing that I took him deep into my mouth and tasted him properly. After several strokes, he was already so excited that I could taste what I took to be pre-cum on my tongue. I'd read about it, but had never imagined it would taste so divine. I savoured it for a moment, rolling it around on my tongue before swallowing it and resuming my sucking with vigour.

_Oh yeah, we're definitely both enjoying this_.

I debated on how far to take this pleasuring and decided I could be more adventurous in future, but for the moment I wanted a little more fun with the soap. I eased him out of my mouth and took his shaft in my soapy hand. Still kneeling, with steady movements, I started to pump him steadily.

"Oh my...shit...that feels so good..." he moaned, "You're a wicked ...(gasp) ...wanton woman (gasp) ... do you know that?"

He threw his head back and shuddered with pleasure. He was virtually purring.

I didn't say anything, just looked up at him, grinning evilly, and kept up the action. Edward's hips bucked and he slid through my grasp repeatedly as the slickness made the motion easier and he really got into it. Our interaction increased in speed. I was thoroughly enjoying pleasuring him and giving him back some of what he had given to me earlier. I loved that we were now so at ease, he would let me do this for him. I wanted more of this unrestrained Edward.

I was all set to follow this hand-pleasuring to its conclusion, when Edward suddenly growled, swooped down and lifted me up so our faces were level. He pinned me against the wall and so I instinctively twined my legs around him.

"I've got to have you around me" he breathed into my mouth. Kissing me hard, driving his tongue deep into my mouth. Without saying a further word, he thrust himself up into me and started to love me again with all his might.

He hissed, growled and moaned, sweeping me up in his loving faster and faster. The sensations were mind-blowing and his shaft reached parts I thought he couldn't have missed earlier. Gravity certainly helped and made things really intense. Edward's control slipped even further, his power unleashed and he thrust hard and fast, snagging my mouth again with his and not letting go.

I couldn't believe how much I was sucked into his raw desire. Him wanting me so much made my soul sing. I couldn't get enough of this man and right here, right now, was where I wanted to be.

The heat radiating from his loving made my insides melt. How could I possibly be tingling so much when he was pounding the life out of me? Shouldn't my sex be numb with his frenetic lovemaking? My mind expanded to absorb his energy and his need for me, my body was ecstatic with pleasure, my insides aching for him to shoot his seed into me at any moment, giddy with the abuse being inflicted on them by his animalistic side.

Oh boy, could my husband make love rampantly. And boy did he ever love doing it to me!

All thought then stopped as I rushed headlong towards climax. I dived into the intensity of the physical love Edward he was pouring onto me and without thinking, I pulled away from his kiss and bit down hard on his earlobe as I thrashed around him. I drew venom without thinking.

It must have stung him because he gave a shout in return and grabbed my hair, pulling my head over to one side.

"I'm not having that," he growled loudly, "I own you. You are MINE!"

He bit down onto my neck, breaking the skin, holding on fast and sucking hard.

My eyes opened wide with shock.

_What the hell...? Oh crap, that stings!  
_

We both climaxed at that moment and Edward's grip on me tightened almost to breaking point. We shuddered together in ecstasy until the overwhelming passion subsided a bit, with the water still running pointlessly down our backs. I could have cried tears of joy and bliss at that point.

As our trembling eased, Edward straightened up and turned around with me firmly linked to him, with him still embedded deep within me. In contract to his bite, he kissed me slowly and tenderly, hugging me tight. He didn't say a word for a few moments, just staring at me intently.

As he made to move out of the shower stall, I turned the now-cold water off. When I leaned back towards him, he grinned wolfishly and hugged me tight again. He walked us back towards the bed and laid me down tenderly on the petal-strewn coverlet, withdrawing his softening shaft from me.

He crawled on to the bed beside me and took me in his arms again.

"Do you think it's going to get any better than this?" he sighed contentedly.

"Oh yes, my love," I replied, squirming to kiss his chin, "After all, practice makes perfect and we've got forever to practise, loverboy!"

**A/N: Did you enjoy that as much as I did? Well I stayed up all night to write what was going to be a one-shot - but you can never get enough Edward-loving, right? I don't know how I'm ever going to give him back to Stephenie and Bella! **

**Please review if you feel able to.**


	4. Loving Spoonful

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I am just thankful to be allowed to sneak in and play make believe. I won't be getting any Edward & Bella dolls any time soon.**

**Warning: More lemons in this one – zing zing shake that thing!**

**Music: **Now to the music that floats my boat: a great British band and it so happens we watched the brilliant Richard Curtis film "The Boat that Rocked" the night before I wrote this. This was one of the tracks on the soundtrack: the Kinks "All Day and All of the Night". On your feet everyone!!

**CHAPTER 4: LOVING SPOONFUL**

**BPOV:**

"You're quiet, love" Edward nudged me from behind, as we lay recovering from our earlier sizzling love-making session in the shower. We were spooning peacefully and it felt nice to just lay there with his arms wrapped around me.

"Yeah" I replied, continuing to gaze out of the window into the night.

"What are you thinking about?" he prompted. I tensed a little at the question. "Um....I was wondering...." I mumbled, unsure whether to say anything else.

"About what?" queried Edward. He raised himself up slightly to peer into my eyes. I turned away slightly, but he took my chin in his hand and turned my face back towards him. "Well...?"

I took a breath and bit the bullet, so to speak. "What was all that about? The biting? The "you are mine" stuff?"

"Oh," was his response. he slumped and looked a bit sheepish "that..." He paused and gently kissed my shoulder.

"It's ok, it doesn't hurt anymore" I knew the wound was almost healed as it had stopped stinging an hour or so before. "Is it something that will happen every time we make love?"

"I honestly don't know, love. I guess I'm going to have to speak to one of the others about it, but I feel a bit old to be discussing the facts of life again, even if they're vampire ones". Edward sighed and leaned back on the pillow.

We continued to lay there spooning, each pondering what had happened.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Bella love, you know that don't you? I love you beyond all reason, it seems."

I leaned back to reassure Edward with a kiss. He was embarrassed, but in my heart of hearts, I didn't want the issue to come between us. Edward stared at the ceiling. "I don't know what came over me – I just saw red when you bit into my ear." He blew out a breath ruefully. "I'm damned glad it didn't happen on honeymoon. It's the sort of thing I was terrified would happen. Can you see why I had to draw lines in the sand when you were throwing yourself at me? I can't bear the thought of what might have happened back then." Edward hugged me tighter in apology as the worrying thoughts of recent months obviously started to bother him again.

I pulled his arms even tighter around me and kissed his forearm to show I was ok. "It's fine love – I know a bit more what to expect now. I was just stunned at how powerful our feelings could be. I'm sorry I bit you too."

"No, that's ok – I kind of liked it Bella". Edward nuzzled his nose into my neck and chuckled quietly. "I like snuggling with you this way – it reminds me a bit of our nights in your old bedroom".

I was instantly transported back to the nights when Edward came in through my window and spent hours with me either cuddling, reading by the glow of my fairy lights, or just listening to music on his iPod. It was comforting back then, snuggling by twinklelight, as I called it – I used to love my fairylights. I loved even more our stolen nights when we could just be ourselves.

"Yeah, I liked those nights too" I said, reminiscing with him.

"I kind of got that, my love. You made it damned difficult to behave myself at times" Edward chuckled again and blew on my ear. He pressed himself in closer and I could feel a slight swelling behind me. I secretly smiled.

"Oh yeah? How's that?" I queried, smirking slightly. He peered back at me. "Well, you have this lovely habit of pushing your butt back into me. It's quite distracting."

"What – like this, do you mean?" as I pushed back against him gently. "Uh huh," he grinned "Yeah, just like that. Mmmmmmm that's nice" Edward snuggled closer still.

"And what else?" I prompted him again. "Well, you not only talked in your sleep, which was entertaining of course, but you also wiggled a fair bit"

"What - like this?" I shimmied against Edward's groin as quickly as I dared, not wanting to rush this tender and intimate moment.

"Yeah, sort of. You were unpredictable though. I'd just get control of myself after manoeuvering out of the way of your sleepy molestations and then you'd unconsciously wriggle around some more and make life very difficult for me again. It was naughty but nice, but oh man, it was all I could do not to have my way with you there and then. That really was the pleasure / pain principle in action."

Edward squeezed me at this comment and kissed my neck again. I liked hearing him talk about those days when we secretly spent hours together, while Dad unknowingly snored his head off in the next bedroom. Although Edward was bulletproof, I was not and there would have been hell to pay had Dad caught us together. Edward would have got his shotgun wedding after all.

I cut short my reverie as what Edward had just said filtered through to me.

"You never said anything about it, you horny devil." I chided.

"Hey – what was I supposed to do? It was heaven and hell at the same time. Anyway, I didn't want to embarrass you by bringing it up and a gentleman never kisses and tells!" We both chuckled at that comment. My modern Edwardian gentleman lived in two time zones.

"I loved having you stay with me" I commented quietly, turning slightly to snag a kiss from Edward. "I'll bet you did!" his eyes sparkled at the notion.

"I felt safe and loved".

"Well I'll grant that you were certainly loved, but safe? I can't say the same about that. You tested my control to the bloody limit, you little cockteaser!" Edward shuddered at that point and rolled his eyes, shaking his head a bit.

I turned my head back slightly towards him, smiling widely, "Speaking of control, I know I've heard you swear before now, but not very often."

"Oh. Well I don't like being a pottymouth usually and I know you don't like it, but it's hard not to swear at times. Why do you mention it?"

"Well,... " I hesitated, "you said earlier, when we were ...erm..... rolling around on the floor, that you were going to fuck me senseless. I've never heard you say that sort of thing before."

"Bella! I've never heard you use that word." Edward looked rueful. Then the more he thought about it, the more he looked mortified about his own declaration and then he looked contrite.

I giggled at him. "I kind of liked it, you know. You sounded ever so masterful. All alpha male like Jacob." Edward gave me a playful slap on the arm, gazing at me quizzically, shaking his head. "Erm....I don't know what came over me. Heat of the moment, I'd say".

"You don't know what came over you?" Then I shocked myself by saying, "Well, I was kind of hoping you'd come all over me when you said that earlier – it was quite a turn on at the time!" I giggled again and hid my face in the pillow.

Edward took in a surprised breath. He went quiet for a moment before huskily leaning forward and whispering "Hmmm.....maybe we'll have to work on that, my beautiful little sexpot" He gave a playful thrust from behind and gently started to move against me. He kissed my neck tenderly and licked around the edge of my ear, setting off tingles which scooted down my back and made my toes curl. I closed my eyes tightly and enjoyed the sensation.

"Mmmmmm delicious." breathed Edward, his nose buried where my neck and shoulder met. "You taste so good, my precious flower".

An image of me on a table covered in flowers flashed across my brain. "Maybe I'd better get you a platter of flowers to eat" I teased.

"I'd rather eat you" he muttered, working his way over my collarbone with his tongue around towards my right breast. He eased me back towards him, so I was laying very slightly on top of him, and started to worship my oh so tender nipple. "Mmmm nice....a sweet button of delight" he murmured.

"Very poetic" I responded quietly, enjoying what Edward was doing to me. I was being gently rubbed by his groin and gently loved by his tongue. I almost purred.

"Hmmmm well I could probably write an ode to this exquisite part of your anatomy" he offered thoughtfully. "And what would you call it?" I asked.

"Ode to Joy would be my first choice but someone got there before me. I'm not sure however that Schiller quite had this in mind when he wrote his poem. Mind you, pastors have been known to have guilty secrets." He chuckled and continued to suck and tease the object of joy he was focused on.

I squirmed with the whole mindblowing pleasure/pain thing, gasping as he laid into my breast with renewed vigour. I could feel him getting harder behind me. "That tongue of yours should be outlawed – it's a deadly weapon!"

"I'm sure your Dad would be happy to slap me in cuffs." he grinned "Now there's an idea for the future...."

I pushed back into Edward as he moved back to kissing my mouth again. "How is my new friend doing back there?" I queried huskily when Edward released me from the kiss. "Oh, he's doing very nicely indeed. Here – say hello to him" He moved my right hand back behind me, so I could grasp his swollen shaft. I giggled as he leered over my shoulder and waggled his eyebrows at me.

We started moving together, with me stroking him rhythmically and him now cupping my mound, fingering me steadily. I released my hand from stroking him and reached up to bring his face closer, stretching my tongue slowly into his mouth. Edward groaned gently and moved his cock between my legs as we were still spooning. He didn't enter me, just grazed me steadily across my entrance. It was erotic as hell and delightful to be pleasured this way. I was getting quite wet while Edward slid back and forth across – _oh my word_, I thought to myself, _why didn't we do this before we got married? We could have had most of the bliss with few of the risks?_

"Oh God that's so nice" I moaned. The tingling which Edward had started by kissing and licking me, had now spread across most of my body. I would have been flushed if I were still human. As it was, my arousal was very evident and I was quickly getting into quite a blissful state.

"I wanted to be gentle with you this time, my love" Edward whispered in my ear, "I wanted to make up for my earlier lapse in control".

"Sssshhhh, love" I murmured "I've forgiven you already. Now shut up and take me before I spontaneously combust".

"Your wish is my command" he replied and thrust into me hard on his next pass. It didn't take many strokes of his manhood to bring us both to climax and oh boy was it ever beautiful. I'll swear I could hear angels singing.

**A/N: And breathe......  
**


	5. Arms of Love

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Music: **Michael Bolton "In the Arms of Love".

**Chapter 5: ARMS OF LOVE**

**BPOV**

We snuggled up for a good while after our last love-making session. Edward had blown me away with his tenderness that time and I'd managed to stay controlled enough to go with it. I'd thought as a newborn I'd be so out of control and craving blood all the time that nothing would get past that. Well life was full of surprises, not least my new husband and his alpha tendencies. I grinned at the replay of his biting my neck earlier on. I rubbed the spot gingerly and Edward reflexively kissed it.

Oh crap, now I was thinking about being a newborn and crimson eyes, I'd got blood on the brain again. Thirst was coming to the forefront. _Oh man my throat is dry. I need to quench that thirst now_. Nipping Edward's ear earlier hadn't provoked my bloodlust as much as it probably should have, but I didn't mind because the trade off had been so mind-blowing. I remembered briefly acknowledging his wound at the time, but I'd been so immersed in other sensations in response to his passionate demands, that all thoughts of feeding had been driven from my mind. _That orgasm was the best yet. Oh my God, he's so sexy. Who'd have thought it? God, I love him._

Despite those last thoughts, my thirst was starting to bother me, nudging at the edges of my sensibilities and becoming an itch that needed to be scratched. I didn't feel as wild and scattered as I had earlier in the day when I'd first awoken and had ten million thoughts erupting all at once. However, I could now feel a sense of unease developing and decided it was probably time to do something about the thirst before it became too overwhelming.

Edward was curled up behind me, arms round my waist, our legs entwined comfortably. We'd spent a good patch of time doing nothing but kissing after our last bout of lovemaking. I definitely liked spooning and kissing was such an intimate bonding. I was very glad Edward was happy to kiss me for hours at a time. I wasn't complaining at all as I loved his taste and he was first-rate kisser, but how he could bear to look at my crimson eyes at all was beyond me. _Well that bit won't last forever and I can keep my eyes shut around him, especially at night. I can always do thing by touch...hmmm that could be fun...._

I mentally noted our first long night together as equals was marching on and wondered what the next few hours would bring. I decided to quickly take stock of my body and ran through a checklist:

Hair?_ An unholy mess. Crap! Wonder if I'll get a brush through it later to untangle it?_

Body?_ Feels taught and not in the least bit tired. Holy moly, I'm even more slender than before the wedding. Guess I won't be needing lipo..._

Legs? I raised a leg up to look at it and waggled it around a bit. _Yep, toned and muscular but not overly so. Actually, they're not a bad shape. They look almost elegant. _Edward lightly stroked the raised leg, sending tingles towards my groin. I kissed his hand and gently batted him away.

Skin? I raised an arm up and rubbed my other hand along it. _Wow, look at all those sparkles glistening in the candlelight. Strange texture, tough like dolphin skin but soft to my touch. That's weird. _I noticed it was unmarked from our frantic sexual encounters. _Well that makes a nice change from the honeymoon! At least Edward can't go all moody on me about that..._

Eyes?_ Amazing clarity of vision, but how will I ever get used to that colour? O_h well, I'd avoid my reflection as much as possible otherwise I'd scare myself silly_. _I looked like a fire-breathing bitch from hell.

Stomach?_ Wow how flat is that! That's weird. No little nudger in there. _I suddenly missed the baby bump and had to choke back a lump in my throat. I blew out a breath. _What else?_

Boobs? _Hmmm definitely a bit fuller than they were but I suppose that's down to the pregnancy. Definitely WAY more sensitive than they were before. I wonder if that will subside? Aw shit, they should be full of milk for Renesmee. Oh well, Edward seemed to enjoy sucking on them. Bah! I shouldn't be thinking like that – it's obscene!_

Scars? I bent over to look at my lower belly. _Wow, no scar! Either Edward is a superb surgeon or venom is better than cosmetic surgery. _A dim memory of blood cascading from me during Renesmee's birth surged into my mind. _Sheesh, I need to feed......_Without thinking I growled.

"Ok, I can hear the cogs grinding away there, my love" said Edward quietly behind me, kissing my neck for good measure. "What's on your mind now?"

"Blood, as it happens" I replied. "I think it would be a very good idea for us to go hunting before my craving gets too much. Like now?"

"Why not? I mean we've got nothing better to do!" he poked me with a finger in jest. "Anyway, it would also be good for you to have fed before we go and see Renesmee again".

_Renesmee.......our beautiful girl_ I sighed at the thought of her. My mind soared in a dozen directions as I replayed snapshots of my time with her the day before. Chocolate eyes. Perfect white teeth. Her special talent for showing us what was on her mind. Me holding her as she fell asleep and peeking into her colourful dreams. _Oh my beautiful angel. Now I've got two angels in my life. Whatever did I do to deserve such good fortune?_

"We did something right didn't we Edward?" I breathed, "she's such a miracle."

"Mmmm it's hard to believe isn't it." Edward cuddled me reassuringly, "One minute we're planning a wedding – or should I say having a wedding thrust upon us – and the next we're bringing new life into the world before we've got the confetti out of our hair. All in a heartbeat, it seems. Can you imagine the gossip if the news got out?! Everybody wondering how you hid your pregnancy so well..." he chuckled. "Hell, it's hard to believe I'm a dad now."

I started to panic. "I wonder how much she's grown since we've been at the cottage. Should we go straight there and see her now do you suppose? What if she doesn't remember me?" My mind ran away with possible changes that might have happened to our little girl in the few hours we'd been away from her. It was all so new, all so bewildering.

I sat upright in an instant and made to move off the bed. "Hey, slow down, love," said Edward, grabbing me around the waist. He shuffled to the edge of the bed with me and put his arm around me. "Look, first things first, we'll go and hunt, get your thirst under control. Then it will be first light and we can go to the house. I'm sure they've got everything under control there and Renesmee is probably still sound asleep, so don't worry".

"Yeah, ok then. You're right. Priorities." I sighed, "Never mind you being a dad, it's hard to believe I'm a mother. I mean, how could a new mother be doing what we've just done?!" I exclaimed.

"Well, being a vampire mother seems to have conferred superpowers on you!" Edward smiled when he said that. "Can't say that it doesn't agree with you though - you've never been more magnificent. I won't forget our first night in a hurry! Oh and have I told you I adore you?" With that, he gave me a kiss on the cheek and bear hug for good measure. He then got to his feet. "Come on then, let's go and explore this new closet of yours." He held his hand out to me. I grasped it and dashed with him to the closet.

Edward stopped dead in front of the closet doors, opening one of them, just as I bumped into him. We both tumbled through the doors with the momentum. Edward grabbed hold of me as we headed to the floor and rolled me over, kissing every bit of skin he could get near and we giggled our way to a stop. We had landed smack onto masses of carrier bags full of clothes. A nice soft landing.

"What the hell...?" I gazed around us, stunned. "Did Alice buy up all of Portland?"

"It would seem so" Edward responded wrily. He planted another kiss on my cheek.

"Bah! I'm going to have to rein that girl in and get her to allow me to do my own shopping in future" I spat out in disgust.

"I wish you joy with that" was his only reply.

"What's this pink frilly stuff?" I moaned, looking up at Edward in a panic. Edward laughed and proceeded to work his magic in finding us both vests and shorts to go hunting in. "We could always go naked if you'd prefer" he suggested. "Better not tempt fate" I responded.

He helped me ram a brush through my tangled hair, then grabbed hold of my hand again and we headed out through the patio doors into the woods beyond. The hunt was on.

**A/N: yeah I know it was a quiet chapter, but they had to have a little break from "pleasuring", didn't they? Lemons ahead in the next one. **


	6. Wild Abandon

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I am just thankful to be allowed to sneak in and play with the hormones of the lead characters. Stephenie, cover your eyes!**

**Warning: **Full on lemons ahead.

**Music: **For this woodland romp - hot, rabid, sweaty – it's got to be Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire"!

**Chapter 6: WILD ABANDON  
**

**BPOV  
**

We raced out of the cottage and into the woods, hand in hand, leaping over logs and brushing past trees and ferns at speed. I loved the power of my new body as I raced forward. Despite the darkness, I could still see clearly and it was no trouble to surge forward without bumping into anything. _The old Bella wouldn't have lasted five minutes. _I snorted with merriment.

After a short while, we slowed down to a walk. I wanted to get my bearings in this part of the woodland. Edward had never taken me here before.

I stood and sniffed the air, mildly excited. "What can you smell, love?" Edward asked of me. "You mostly!" I teased him. He barked out a laugh. "Yeah and what else?"

"Leaf mould, wet grassy stuff, animal dirt, earth." I sniffed around again, getting a whiff of something slightly acrid.

My head swivelled round and I started off in the direction of the smell. It was very tangy so I guessed it was probably deer but I couldn't be sure. Edward followed behind me, holding back a little to see what I would do. I looked over my shoulder at him and beamed a smile. His eyes crinkled in response and he made a motion with his hand to encourage me to move forward. I poked my tongue out at him, made a face and muttered "bet it's stinky deer" under my breath. Venom pooled in my mouth anyway.

A hundred yards or so down the track, my nose confirmed it was definitely a small group of deer, calmly moving amongst the trees, stopping to pull up vegetation here and there. Encouraged by my efforts this afternoon, I sped between the trees and leapt upon the nearest animal. It nearly got way from me, but thankfully it didn't. It took me only a moment to despatch it. Edward blurred past me and snagged two more. I gritted my teeth, bit down fiercely and drank deeply from the deer, making one heck of a mess again but getting my fill. Edward took as long to drain two deer as it did for me to do one. I'd get better with time but I was learning.

Edward disposed of the carcasses while I stood there and surveyed the mess I'd made of myself. An evil thought crossed my mind and I started to rub the blood all over my face, arms and legs. When Edward turned around, his face was a picture! "Well well well, my woodland nymph really has gone native". His eyes lit up with mirth and he flashed me a wide grin. I could see I'd piqued his interest.

I grinned back at him, hand on hip, and saucily said "Well what are you going to do about it then? You in the market for a clean up job or is there somewhere round here I can take a dip?"

Edward strode over to me and pinned my arms to my side, inspecting me. "Looks like you need another shower, my girl".

"I've got a better idea," I teased, "How about you lick me clean, Mr-I-Can-Drink-Two-Deer-Faster-Than-You-Can?"

"That sounds inviting" he responded. "You've got the devil in you after that meal. Are you sure the deer didn't have horns?"

"Just think what I'd be like after a bigger meal. Anyway, quit stalling!" With that, I tore away from his arms and took off back along the track we'd come down. Throwing my vest top over my shoulder, I yelled "Catch me if you can!" Every few yards, I shed another piece of clothing. I knew I could probably outrun him at the moment but I didn't go all out to evade him.

"You're in for it now Mrs Cullen!" Edward chased me, gaining ground steadily until he caught me after a few hundred yards and tackled me to the ground. Growling as he rolled me over to face him, he attacked my lips with vigour and proceeded to lick my face, working his way down my jaw, neck and collarbone, grinning the whole time. "This bit is really dirty Mrs Cullen" he breathed before latching on to one of my breasts and sucking and licking at like it was going out of fashion. _Mmmm that's nice....._

A thought occurred to me. "Are we going to run into your family out here?"

"Oh no, Alice will have given them a cordon to steer a wide berth round." He kissed me deeply. "We can be as frisky as we like near the cottage."

That spurred me on. I wasn't going to let him have it that easy and managing to catch him by surprise, I wiggled myself out from under him. Besides, I still had far too many clothes on. I took off running again, shedding the last of my garments, but it wasn't long before Edward caught up with me again.

He growled with frustration at my attempt to elude him but I could see that he was very excited at the chase. His eyes positively glowed with lust and this time I could see he wasn't about to let me go. "You've really done it now, you little hussy. I'm going to teach you a lesson, darling wife!"

With that he frogmarched me to a fallen tree and forced me forward over it, pinning my arms behind me with one hand. I heard the ripping of his shorts and immediately felt wet at the prospect of what was coming. I groaned with anticipation.

"Run from me, would you?" he growled huskily in my ear. "Well let me show you what you're running from." He pushed my legs apart and inserted a finger inside me. I groaned instantly at his touch. "See what bad girls get?" He then inserted another finger and started to move them in and out of me. He stroked my clit a few times and then pushed his fingers back inside me.

I shuddered and moaned. I couldn't help it. I loved this dominant Edward. I was still covered in blood and it only served to make me lust after him more.

"You like that do you, my little huntress?" I squirmed with pleasure at what he was doing. He leaned over me and attacked me from the front this time. While he was doing that with his hand, he pushed in close from behind to let me feel the present he had waiting for me, but obviously wasn't going to give me just yet.

He moved back to teasing me from behind with his hand as I bucked and moaned frantically. The more he rubbed, the more I pressed back against him. The more he stroked, the more I purred. I was going delirious with pleasure, swollen with desire just as he was, and getting wetter and wetter. When I could stand it no longer, my muscles clamped down on his fingers and I took off into ecstasy, shuddering and almost sobbing with it.

Before I could come down from that high, Edward withdrew his fingers from me and pinned both of my arms down onto the tree. He rammed his cock into me, filling me with his length. I nearly screamed with the pleasure of that and the change of pressure. _Oh God, how much more of this can I stand? _

The angle he had me bent over at meant that his huge shaft went deep and the pleasure was intensified. Edward grunted as he rutted behind me – yes, rutted like the buck he had just killed and fed upon. _I can't believe my Edward is doing this. Holy crap, this is intense! Oh God, yes, yes....._

His pleasure at taking me from behind that way only made things more pleasurable for me and for him too. All I could think of was his shaft penetrating me time after time, me shaking with the vibrations the continued friction was bringing to me. I struggled to move from him. _Oh God I want to kiss you. Let me turn around and face you, if only I can..... _But Edward wasn't going to let me move. He stayed rock solid and rock hard, pounding away at me while I whimpered and moaned.

He leant over my ear and taunted "I want you to come again. You teased me with blood young lady, so I'm going to tease you with my cock and keep going until you come again." _Oh my God, oh my God – he can't be serious._

I felt his breath on my back and he suddenly pulled out of me, leaving me stunned. He started to lick my back all the way from my neck down to my crack. _Sweet Jesus what is he doing? _Edward chuckled as he sensed my tension. He took his tongue down each buttock and under the thighs, nibbling a little on the way. _Oh...oh...oh my God that's good...._He darted his tongue underneath and quickly swiped my clit before easing back to his feet. He still had me pinned. I felt the air waft around me as I tingled and waited to see what he would do next. _Come on Edward! Get back in me already!_

I struggled a little against his grip, trying to feel him behind me. I turned my head frantically to the left and right and then felt Edward lick me from my crack all the way up to my neck again. _Oh shit that's good. _I could feel my clit twitch. I moaned even more. It couldn't be helped. Before I could stop myself, I gasped out "Fuck!" _Dear God I can't believe he just made me say that....oh Edward......_

It was evidently the signal Edward needed. He swiftly grabbed me in a bear hug, arms under my shoulders and re-entered me from behind and set off worshipping me again. For every few passes, he pulled out and stroked past my clit. This was blissful exquisite torture.

I felt the heat break out and rush up out of me. I screamed Edward's name and hung on for dear life as I crashed over the edge of sanity, taking him with me. In a millisecond of focus in that climactic moment, I took on board the memory of Edward's loud yell, almost a feral howl of animal pleasure as he released his hot fluids into me and held on tight to me.

**A/N: Well that's another fantasy wrapped up. Was it lusty enough for you?**


	7. Guardian Angel

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. Thanks to her for allowing me to sneak in and play make believe.**

**Warning: Lemony, zesty, pithy, tart, with pips! I've conjured a new word: a "zingfest".**

**Music: **Now to music selection, one of my fave driving tracks – whacked up to volume 12 on the car stereo, bellowing along lustily to Chad Kroeger's wicked lyrics. Yay, it's a Nickelback with "Animals". You'll see why....

**CHAPTER 7: GUARDIAN ANGEL**

**BPOV:**

We were driving out of town for a change of scenery. Edward and I had been getting cabin fever, cooped up in the main house for several days where there was so much emotion and debate. We had spent some fabulous days with our gorgeous Renesmee and the family, but I was finding Rosalie's zealous attention to Renesmee a little overbearing. Jacob was just as bad and with all their squabbling, I needed to take a breather for myself and get a handle on this new set of circumstances. Edward had been an absolute rock, shepherding me through the initial challenges. In fact, he spent most of the time beaming his admiration at me. I wasn't sure I could cope with so much hero-worship! I felt a little like a bird in a gilded cage, cossetted but trapped.

Seeing my gathering tension, Edward had suggested a short drive to a remote coastal location, where we could perhaps walk on the beach together and chill out in the fresh air without an audience watching me like a hawk the whole time. It was just the mental break I needed as the intensity of the past few weeks was catching up with me. We knew that Renesmee would be well taken care of by our family. Esme had also encouraged us to leave the Cullen compound for a couple of hours, just so we could be Bella and Edward as a couple, away from the demands of a child and invasions of vampire super-hearing.

It had been a few days since our mad romp in the woods when we'd made our way back to the cottage towards dawn, covered in debris, looking wild and earthy but smiling happily, quite relaxed. We'd held hands, strolling through the woods, cuddling and talking easily after expending all our energies in some wild rutting. I'd shocked myself at our activities but was held in thrall to Edward's discovery of his sexuality. He really was a typical Gemini – I couldn't keep up with him. He was gloriously commanding and energetic one moment, and then needy and introspective the next. He was a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but that didn't make me love him any less. My active and frenzied participation in our lovemaking had encouraged him to let go a fair bit and each day was bringing a new experience. I wondered when this spell was going to end.

Pulling myself back to the present, I gazed out of the window of the "tank" that Edward was driving, watching the outlying houses of Forks recede into the rear view mirror. My darling husband hadn't got around to taking the Mercedes Guardian back to the dealers yet. Of course I'd laid into him about this car a few weeks ago, arguing he was being over-protective. He later confessed he hadn't made his mind up about whether to keep the Guardian in the longer-term. The fact the car was practically bombproof had been a huge joke to the boys of course. He had not however taken into account that my transformation into a vampire would happen sooner rather than later. He had been counting on Carlisle not going through with his offer post-graduation and then ironically, he himself had been the catalyst for my change by getting me pregnant the first time we had made love on honeymoon. I smiled at that. For all his angst about my human condition, he couldn't control Nature.

It was nice to feel space around us, big skies, ranging hills. I didn't know exactly where Edward was taking us and at that moment I didn't rightly care. I looked at him to my left and smiled again, heaving out a huge sigh.

"A penny for your thoughts?" he asked, after shooting me that crooked smile I loved so much.

"It's a relief to get away from the house for a while. Much as I love your family, it can feel like living in a goldfish bowl at times" I remarked.

"I know, my love, but it's something you will get used to over time. It often helps having them know things about you when we have to spring into action in an emergency." Edward picked up my hand and kissed it, squeezing it and keeping hold of it.

"Yeah, but I don't need them knowing every little detail about me, and what you and I do together".

As the road opened up ahead of us, I relaxed more and more. The leather seats were immensely comfortable and I knew they could recline, heat up, tilt - hell probably even massage. The car had the power that Edward liked in his transport. He was enjoying this drive.

Looking around the interior as a passenger for the first time, I realised just how spacious it was. _Big back seat with armrests if you wanted them. Hmm could be a good passion-wagon. _I giggled to myself. _What is wrong with you? All you can think about is sex! You're supposed to be a sensible mother, for heaven's sake. Hello....I wonder what Edward is thinking about? ...He's suddenly smelling extra musky._

I noticed Edward take a sidelong glance at me. I cocked an eyebrow quizzically at him and asked him the silent question. He just smiled back at me and wrinkled his nose a little. He squeezed my hand again too.

"Nice comfy seats, aren't they?" I mentioned quietly. "I'm not used to being driven around in this thing"

"Not long til we get there, love. I've chosen a nice quiet spot for us, away from pungent people, nosy wolves and uninvited visits by family."

"That's ok Edward, take your time. It's nice just being here with you with no particular plans."

"Oh, my love, I've got plans all right. The balancing of your yin-yang and hopefully some bliss." he threw the comment out there and left it hanging, and then chuckled.

I was hit by another waft of musky scent, the honey-lilac of his soul, like a spray concentrate. _Oh he's sending out some waves of love there. It's quite intense in this enclosed space. _I shut my eyes and breathed it in deeply. I knew it was a scent I would never ever get tired of.

As I opened my eyes again, Edward reached across and cupped my face. He traced my chin lightly, sending some much needed tenderness my way.

"I'm looking forward to resolving some of that tension for you, love" he muttered, as much to himself as to me.

I smiled and pulled a little face of anticipation. _Oh yes, alone time. And what do we do when get alone time? We get it on, for heaven's sake. Well I suppose that has been __my piece of heaven on Earth. _I mused a bit more. Edward was definitely my brand of heroin now. I was totally addicted to him, enjoying feeding off his energy. Just being with Edward settled my soul - he was my other half, the yang to my yin.

I fiddled with the mechanism on my seat and reclined it back a little. Leaning back, I shut my eyes, listening to the quiet purr of the engine and feeling its gentle vibrations. _Mmm soothing. _I heard a click and a whir. The soulful strains of Revd Al Green started playing from the speakers – the car evidently had surround-sound and the quality was crisp and clear, even to my new super-hearing. _I mentally sang along to the lyrics of the first song.....I'm so tired of being alone, I'm so tired of on my own...... Wow, the Reverend could be in the car with us, it's that good! Not much room for his band though lol......._ _oh what's he doing.....?_

I became conscious of the fact that Edward was unbuttoning my shirt - well his shirt actually as I loved wearing something with his scent on. He gently slid his hand in to cup my breast. _Oh, that's nice. _I opened an eye and swivelled my head towards Edward. He smiled back at me and used his best hypnotic look to encourage me to stay as I was. Obviously, even though half of his attention was fixed on my breast, and the other half on the road ahead, he did not deviate an inch from the roadway. I had long since learned to trust his driving style.

I stayed motionless and enjoyed Edward's caress. Gentle quivers ran southwards to where my thighs met. After a while, he switched to my other breast and I stretched a little, luxuriating under his tender touch. The quivers continued, quietly but warmly gathering momentum and yet I was still left feeling almost languid. This new body didn't make any sense at all.

After quite a few miles of this gentle attention being paid to me, I found my thoughts turning vaguely lascivious as the quivers stepped up a notch. I was starting to pool comfortably with wetness in my underwear. _Really, Edward shouldn't be inviting me to repay his ministrations like that, not while he's driving. Oh my, I don't think I can resist it anymore...Chief Swan's daughter knows it's a crime to even think of it, but it's a downright crime not to.......Right that's it...._

I lifted Edward's hand out of my blouse and kissed it. Placing it back at his side, I murmured "Thanks, love, that was nice". He looked at me and tilted his head in a half question. Without saying a word, I reached over and undid his flies. He went to stop me, putting his hand on my wrist and turning towards me, about to admonish me.

"Oh come now Edward, turn about is fair play, isn't it?" Before he could reply, I blew him a kiss and moved over towards him. Unlike the old days when I had a truck with a bench-seat, such manoeuvres took a little more consideration in this car. However, I managed it and saw that Edward was anticipating my next move. He was bulging nicely and had his tongue in his cheek, trying to stifle a smile. _Oh yes, my boy, I know you want this. You're going to enjoy this._

With that, I set to work. I released Edward's cock from his underwear and was, as always, stunned at the beautiful sight. The late afternoon sun was shining through the windows, making my boy scintillate. I remembered the first time I had seen this mesmerising spectacle, back on the beach on honeymoon. _Holy cow! _I'd thought, immobilised with shock and wonder. Although I'd seen it quite a few times since, I didn't think I would ever get bored with it. _Come on girl, let's get to it._

I started to stroke him, running my thumb around the tip. Edward flinched for a second. I moistened my hand with some spit and grabbed hold of the length of him, setting up a slow steady rhythm. Edward's posture stiffened. His sharp intake of breath held me fixed on his face. I wanted to watch him as I attended to this part of the action. He kept his face still, periodically shutting his eyes momentarily. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he battled to concentrate. He thrust into my hand a few times but never deviated from the lines on the tarmac. _Strike one for Bella_.

I concentrated my efforts on his balls next, cupping them as they tightened under my touch. _Hmmm I wonder........_I bent over and swiped at them with my tongue. The car veered slightly. _Gotcha! _

I went back to my hand job and moistened my hand some more. I noticed some fluid seeping, so smeared some of it on my hand and then put my finger in my mouth. He tasted divine. Edward groaned at that. He turned to look at me with heavy lids, his eyes darkest charcoal. His long yearning look had me smiling. I increased the tempo of my strokes and bent down to lick the length of his shaft. _Oh my boy, I want to make you happy. _I then popped him into my mouth about halfway and tickled the end with my tongue. Edward's automatic reaction was to push further into my mouth. I sucked on him for a while. I could feel the car veering off course now and then and also sense the effort he was making to keep it on track. _That's my boy. Great self-control. Let's see how far I can push it._

Quietly working on him, I was quite enjoying myself and could feel myself getting wetter at the prospect of Edward's coming release. I doubted he would be able to keep the car on the road much longer and I was surmising whether we would be testing the car's alleged toughness now I was indestructible. _Explain that one to the insurance company...._

As those thoughts passed through my head, I felt Edward's hand firmly push me down on him. The car rocked and swayed for a minute or two and then suddenly lurched to a stop. Edward, like a blur, removed himself from my mouth and literally threw me into the backseat. I had barely landed, when he was in the back with me and out of his jeans and boxers. He grabbed hold of me, ripping off my jeans and undies in an instant. Yanking me up by the waist hurriedly, Edward lifted me to face him, legs either side of him, and without a word he firmly sank his shaft straight into me, expelling a huge breath of air as he did so. He groaned deeply, a gutteral moan that vibrated in the core of my body.

I have to say that it wasn't a moment too soon because I was more than ready for him. Edward pulled me forward towards him in a tight hug, as I straddled him on my knees, and he then set the pace of the motion. Having me on top was exquisite as he drove himself into me. His movements hit my little nub of pleasure with an intensity that almost had me crying. Well I certainly cried out, that's for sure. He rained kisses on my face and neck, kissing me deeply. He sucked on my tongue so hard, he threatened to pull it out by the roots. The scent of his arousal was overpowering and I breathed it into my soul.

As the Revd Al's golden voice purred out the lyrics to "Here I am (Come & Take Me)", Edward could feel me losing control steadily and timed things perfectly so we exploded together, shaking, rocking and groaning until I thought he could fill me up no more. I felt his devotion for me spill over in that moment. I soared away with the angels for an instant.

We stayed that way for several minutes until my head reattached itself to my neck and I was coherent again. Edward kept me in his tight embrace. When I looked around me, I could see the windows were all steamed up. _Having our own Titanic moment there!_ The car windows, being tinted black, had afforded us privacy, but I could now see that Edward had somehow had the presence of mind to steer us up a track into woodland before screeching to a halt and throwing me over his shoulder!

Still linked to him, I gave Edward a swift kiss and pulled my face back, cupping either side of his head to look at him smirking.

"What?" he asked, pulling that surprised look he'd used on me quite a bit before.

"Well since we've just made love in your Guardian, I guess that makes you my Guardian Angel."

He laughed, delighted. "Hmmmm, I think I'll keep the car now as I'm growing rather fond of it. It has definite possibilities. In fact, I'd go so far as to say this car rocks!"

I giggled at that. "Well we certainly tested the suspension".

"Now," he continued, snuggling me closer, "would you like me to show you my pistons again?"

**A/N: Ye gods, I need a bucket of water after that. Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback.  
**


	8. Musings

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. My thanks to SM for allowing me to sneak in and use these wonderful characters to act out my fantasies.**

**Warning: Lemon soufflé!**

**Music:** well I had to get a Muse track in somewhere, so it's my new fave track "Undisclosed Desires".

**Dedication: **this one is for my good friend Ceri, who is an even bigger fan of Muse than I am! You rock, girl!

**CHAPTER 8: MUSINGS**

**BPOV:**

After extricating ourselves from the back seat of the Guardian, we had cleaned ourselves up and made use of the fresh clothing which Edward had so thoughtfully provided in a holdall which magically appeared in his hand as I cast about looking for my garments. I chuckled at his face when he held the bag up for inspection after I'd bemoaned the lack of usable underwear again. _Really, that boy is like a scout, prepared for anything. _

"So that little love-in was your plan all along, was it? And it seems you really can read my mind!" I joked, playfully poking him on the chest. His answering grin spoke a thousand words and he shrugged in mock innocence.

We settled back into the car and continued on our journey to the coast. Edward insisted on holding my hand, lifting it to his lips now and then. I sat peaceably beside him, taking in the scenery and looking forward to seeing the shoreline again.

The last time we'd spent time together beside the sea had been on honeymoon a few weeks before. That seemed like a lifetime ago. Indeed it was – my lifetime. The honeymoon existed in a whole other reality and the memories, although still there, were very slightly dimmed. I sighed wistfully and decided to do something about sharpening those memories.

"Edward, what's your best memory of our honeymoon?"

He looked sidelong at me, surprised by the question. "Hmm, that's a difficult question. There are so many answers!"

I smiled encouragement at him. "What comes to mind first?".

"Well, our first night alone together was so special, it blew me away. I was daunted by the trust you put in me not to hurt you but at the same time, it was endearing and empowering. It was your greatest gift to me. It made me feel closer to you in that moment than ever before." Edward's expression changed to that crooked half-smile I so loved.

It was my turn to kiss his hand as I gazed back at him, swept up in his expression. _You amaze me too Edward. _Not a moment went by that I didn't thank my lucky stars to have found this beautiful soul out of all the places I might have ended up living.

Edward added, "That feeling was intensified when we first made love. Taking your body to mine made me feel closer to God than at any time in my life. You made me whole and I was overwhelmed at the sense of joy that such physicality could bring, even though I still had to be controlled. You bound yourself to me in a way that still amazes me." Edward turned to look at me, his golden eyes holding me with the intensity of his gaze. _Right back at you, babe._

My mind flickered back to that momentous night, when the moon had shone serenely over a dark sea and Edward hugged me to his chest in the warm waters of paradise.

It had not taken long to find that we were compatible physically insofar as we could be and given that I was still a fragile human at that time. We had relied on our instincts to find our way to a joyous climax as we explored our bodies and consummated our marriage. We had worshipped each other for hours after initiating the love-making, so it was no wonder I had been pretty sore the next morning. All our dry-runs in "practice" before the wedding had not properly prepared us for our frenetic couplings that night.

Random images flashed into my mind as I mused on the days that had followed: the feel of Edward's glorious naked body against mine; his lustful kisses; his sparkly manhood magnificent in the sunlight and which actually struck me dumb for a while; his sheer joy at being out in daylight, not worrying about his existence being discovered; his repeatedly catching me by surprise in swooping up out of the water, to carry me up to the beach just to spend ages kissing me stupid; his childlike wonder at some new discovery on the island; his unabashed laughter at my clumsiness; his cool calming caresses as I was lulled to sleep, worn out by the day's activities.

- * -

My musings were interrupted by our arrival at the parking spot near to the beach that Edward had chosen to take us to. We left the car and made our way down to the water's edge, hand in hand. I stopped to survey our surroundings - there was not a soul in sight, on land or out to sea.

Scattered on the sands were occasional tree trunks lying horizontally, weathered into gnarled and distorted shapes, bleached a pale grey. The bases of a few of the trunks were studded with mutely coloured pebbles sparkling with quartz and washed up seaweed that trailed like bunting across them. Here and there, seagulls sat as sentries, shrieking to one another about our intrusion onto their private beach.

The sun was fairly low over the water, a slightly washed out affair with it being a late September afternoon. The only footprints on the sand were those made by seabirds and us, as we walked slowly towards the northern end of the cove. The swoosh of the tide washed over my thoughts and eased the kinks out of my head. There was an onshore breeze but it did not herald any heavy weather. It was a blissfully pleasant afternoon for a stroll on the beach.

Just being here with Edward, with no need for conversation and no clamouring distractions, was healing in itself. Edward sensed that I didn't want to talk for the moment and was happy to remain silent, ambling beside me at human speed, arm in arm. I felt oddly like my old self, content to just "be" without the need to fill the silence with aimless chatter. I was thankful for the remoteness of the location, which in turn made our togetherness blessedly intimate.

After an hour or so, we eventually reached the far end of the cove, where the boulders increased in size and jutted out to form a small peninsula and look out point. There was a conveniently placed driftwood trunk which Edward headed for. He picked me up and plonked me down on the log, remaining standing to face me. He cupped my face in his hands and gave me a long lingering kiss on the lips. Then he kissed each of my eyes in turn and my forehead, before returning to my lips and burying his tongue in my mouth. He wrapped his arms round me in a bear hug.

"I'm so glad I found you" he murmured in my ear. "You are my heart, my soul, my everything" _I love hearing that. I never want to stop hearing that. _We stayed fixed in that embrace for a good long while.

- * -

One moment I was enjoying the comfort of Edward's cuddle and the next, my nose had picked up on a scent coming from the other side of the boulders we were sat near. I turned to look behind me, intent on seeing the source of the smell. _Hmmm fishy....ewww....._Even so, my excitement levels increased as alertness kicked in and I growled without thinking.

Edward released me from his hug and smirked. "We seem to have a visitor" he remarked. I growled again, listening for clues as to what the creature might be. I could hear snuffling and crunching which stopped and started as whatever it was moved closer towards us.

I hopped down from my perch and went into a crouch. Edward stood back from me, giving me some space, smiling all the while. I kept looking back at him, puzzled at his evident amusement.

After several more minutes, the puzzle was solved as our visitor revealed itself to be a sea otter going about its business, looking for starfish and other goodies in the rock pools it was passing. It suddenly spotted us and threw out a startled whistle. It stood there waving and ducking its head, trying to get a sense of us and any danger we presented. My immediate reaction was to ready myself to hunt. I sniffed the air and debated what to do.

Edward belayed any action from me with a comment, "Sea otters are endangered, my love, and also they don't taste very nice! Why don't you leave it alone for now, ok?"

The otter peeped another whistle at us before deciding that discretion was the better part of valour and neatly sliding into the water, swimming away from us as quickly as possible. I watched the otter intently as it departed, my eyes squinting into the sun.

"How's your thirst, love?" Edward asked a few minutes after we lost sight of the otter.

His question brought blood to the front of my mind and it swirled greedily in my thoughts as I fought down the urge to take off after the otter and hunt it down. "I'm ok I suppose" I mumbled, not entirely convinced.

"Come on, let's walk back down the beach and check out what's at the other end. We'll hunt something up for you shortly. There are plenty of woods between here and home". Edward hauled on my arm and led me away from where we had broken our walk. He put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a big kiss on the cheek as we set off. I looked back wistfully to where the otter had been. Every now and then Edward stooped to pick up a pebble and skim it out across the water, further than a human could possibly see.

At one point, a huge fat seagull landed a few yards in front of us and Edward suddenly moved like a blur to chase it away. He wasn't really trying to catch it, just startling the bird for fun. He ran back to me and picked me up, swinging me around until I begged for him to stop, almost giddy with laughter. His eyes shone excitedly and he smiled happily.

"Do you fancy a run?" he challenged. With that, he pushed me over onto the sand and took off at speed along the beach. I chased after him, hurling mild insults in his wake, enjoying digging in to get a turn of speed and laughing as I steadily caught him up.

We streaked past where the car was parked and carried on towards the other end of the cove. Birds scattered in alarm as we approached, crying out with consternation. Ignoring them and with extra effort, I finally managed to catch Edward and tackled him to the ground, just like he'd tackled me a few nights earlier in the woods. Our momentum took us into the edge of some small dunes.

"Touchdown!" I shouted, laughter muffled as we tangled in a mass of clothes and limbs. Edward grabbed hold of me and peppered my face with kisses until the mood changed slightly and became more intense.

His eyes darkened and his breathing became more ragged. He held my gaze for a moment and then acting on my slight nod in response, he frantically started undoing our trousers. Thankfully I only had jogging bottoms and lacy underwear on which were easily pushed down. Edward's jeans were only slightly more cumbersome and he pushed those down far enough to reveal himself ready to go, his glorious manhood straining for action, glinting briefly before I lost sight of it. I moved myself under Edward and clutched him to me, eager for his attention. _How can I leave this man alone? All I ever want to do is hold him in my arms and have him love me._

In contrast to our urgent fumblings of a moment ago, Edward entered me gently and started a slow rhythm. I sighed with the pleasure of having him inside me again and drank in the enjoyment of the fresh air, the salty breeze and the fizz of the creeping tide a few yards away.

Edward increased his rhythm and moved his tongue along my jaw and neck, always coming back to my mouth where he could taste me and dart his tongue in and out time after time. I found my head full of "Pure Shores" lilting its way round in my head as I made love with the man of my dreams.

Our tender coupling gathered pace and in only a short time, we found ourselves trembling at our release, revelling in a new closeness, simply hugging each other for dear life. We didn't hurry to separate, but when we did, again, we didn't feel the need for any conversation. We dressed quietly and brushed ourselves down before walking back up the beach a few hundred yards.

We reclaimed our car shortly afterwards and headed back towards Forks. I certainly felt at peace, washed clean of tension, and grateful for this special time alone. The demon in me was tranquil for now. I was with the man I loved with all my heart, ready now to return home, back to our loving family and reunion with our beautiful daughter Renesmee.

Being a married newborn mother wasn't half bad after all!

**A/N: A gentle frolic, awash with the feel-good factor, I hope. Their love is strong and not only based on carnal pleasures - although those are pretty strong too! Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. ****Avanti!  
**


	9. Songbird

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: No lemons in this chapter – only pips!**

**Dedication: **this one is for Sara.

**Music:** Fleetwood Mac - Songbird. I thought this beautiful track of theirs appropriate for this mother to her daughter, unsure of what the future will hold.

**CHAPTER 9: SONGBIRD**

**BPOV:**

Edward and I returned home from our trip to the beach feeling refreshed and calmer. Edward put the All Saints track on repeat on the CD player after I mentioned it to him. We raced home in the car, with no detours, quietly excited at the prospect of seeing Renesmee again. We arrived after dark to find Esme cradling Renesmee in her arms and crooning to her as she slept.

Edward and I flew to Esme's side, focused entirely on the beauty of our child's sleeping features. Esme smiled a welcome to both of us and handed Renesmee over to me. I cuddled her warm body to me, while Edward cuddled both of us - his girls, his family unit. The sense of peace was overwhelming and connected to the serenity we had garnered during our afternoon at the shore. It had been a healing day and here I was at the heart of the family I loved more than I could have comprehended when I first met Edward. I had been truly blessed and drank deeply of the moment.

The next few days passed sweetly, during which we all relaxed together, playing boardgames, talking, watching DVDs, hunting nearby, browsing the internet, reading and kicking off the occasional game of touch football when the weather was dry. Those knockabout tournaments were merely an excuse for the fellas to chase and grope the girls, but they were fun nonetheless.

It was all Edward and I could do to keep our hands off each other when hanging out at the main house, which the family found amusing. They kept stumbling over us in moderately compromising positions in the various nooks and crannies of the not-quite-large-enough house. They would roll their eyes and move past us, muttering and smirking.

A side effect of our lustful feelings was that Alice and Jasper's love-life had also picked up suddenly due to Jasper's empathic reaction to our strong feelings. We had sneaked off a couple of times to Edward's old room and later gathered from Emmett's comments that Alice and Jasper had made themselves scarce at the same time. Jasper ruefully admitted that he wasn't complaining and was in fact enjoying the powerful feelings that we both emitted. Alice merely giggled happily.

When not making love through the night back at the cottage or sneaking extended kisses away from public view, we were generally to be found holding hands, hugging or otherwise entwined, often with Renesmee snuggled in the arms of one of us. Having fought through so much to be together, we couldn't bear to be physically separated.

When Renesmee was not being squabbled over by Rosalie and Jacob at feeding time, egged on by a teasing Emmett, she would be entertained by other family members. My fondest memory so far had to be the sight of her being entranced by her father playing sweet melodies on the piano, with her strapped in a babycarrier facing forward towards the keyboard. He would sometimes sing quietly to her in surprisingly bluesy tones – it was magical to watch him bond with his daughter that way.

Renesmee's evident delight at watching her father play the piano made me believe that Edward would probably start training her at some point. In between soothing strains of classical pieces or some contemporary music, I would watch him play short bursts of lullabies and nursery rhymes, and sometimes hold her fingers over a certain key at a moment of counterpoint. He would then repeat the piece and she would lean forward to press the correct key at the right moment. Renesmee's eyes sparkled when she got it right and she would giggle delightedly.

Another snapshot for the memory banks, which I would treasure. I smiled to myself at the prospect of watching this new musical relationship develop over time. I could foresee duets and competitions and much laughter.

Carlisle also spent time with his granddaughter when he wasn't pouring over books researching her unique condition. He would talk to her in hushed earnest tones as he bathed in her clear adoration and showed astonishment that this precious child could have joined his family. His face reflected the deep joy of experiencing something new and unexpected in his world – his shy smile when Renesmee simply gave him a huge hug or his beam of pride at hearing her utter new words had a profound effect on us both.

I felt a glow inside each time I saw them together, with her perched on his lap holding a large book as they leafed through the pages together while he gently explained what they were looking at. Her probing questions, relayed to him through touch, were often greeted by a surprised smile and a darting look towards me that showed his wonder that this small body contained an intellect so advanced. The bookworm in him enjoyed imparting information and Renesmee was the sponge soaking it all in. I could see they would have a deep bond over time.

Renesmee's relationship with her aunt Alice was different again. Alice would twirl her round and sing to her, dancing at any given moment, to the wry amusement of Jasper. He would look adoringly at them and then turn to me smiling contentedly, basking in the emotions he was soaking up from them. He had gone from being a threat to my existence, to an adored ally and fellow bookworm. While Jasper and I were reaching a new deep understanding of each other, Alice would definitely be the fun element of Renesmee's education and I could imagine them plotting and planning things together in whatever future Renesmee might have.

Ah....Renesmee's future.....That dark cloud of the unknown still hovered as the Cullen men pursued their studies and searches to find a clue as to what the future would hold for our darling girl. However, for the moment I had to push any dark thoughts to one side and ensure we lived each day fully. We had to enjoy every day my new world brought to Renesmee, Edward and me. When we knew properly what we were dealing with, we would rise to the challenge as one big family unit. I had absolute trust in these beautiful people.

As a new mother, I was more patient than I thought possible and tried not to be jealous of the time my daughter spent with other family members. It was however becoming routine for Renesmee to fall asleep in my arms, rather than anybody else's, so I could watch her butterfly thoughts turn to magical colours in her slumbers. She would replay her day to me, which often involved father's face and voice coming back to me perfectly in a sweet snapshot of her musical memories. Inevitably Jacob figured large in her thoughts.

When Renesmee was deeply asleep, I would then hand her off to Esme or Rosalie for the night so that Edward and I could return to our cottage for what they called "couple time". That would change in time but for now, our need for each other was very evident after we said goodnight to the family.

Despite being beaten frequently at arm-wrestling, Emmett had in fact continued to make comments about our love-life. He was most disappointed that the cottage had not sustained any major damage to date. He and Esme had evidently visited the cottage in our absence at the coast to survey the building and put straight anything out of place. We had returned to an immaculate interior, refreshed bedding and towels, like a maid service had been in. I would have to stop them doing this in future but for now, I was taking one day at a time and grateful for any assistance. There was no way to hide things from this family so there was no point being embarrassed.

A week after our beach trip, Edward and I ran back to the cottage in the evening after a day of ribbing by his brothers when they'd gone for a long run to hunt and feed, and to stretch their legs. I had missed Edward for the few hours he had been gone and on his return, there was unspoken tension between us which I recogised as longing for some "alone time" so he could show me just how much he had missed me.

In anticipation of that, we hurtled back towards our love-nest after taking our leave of the family. My mind flashed through potential ways to show Edward how much I loved him today and what he might have to look forward to after future hunting trips.

The air fairly crackled with tension as swiftly we drew up to the front door after following the now familiar path between the properties. We were confronted by a magical sight: a prescient family member, Alice I presumed, had thoughtfully strung some tiny solar fairylights up over the trellises by the door as a "welcome home". Edward rolled his eyes in amusement, but for me it was a purrfect and romantic touch, as my thoughts roved ahead to what the next few hours might hold.

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback Meanwhile, special thanks go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Girls, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	10. Suns

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight.**

**Warning: **Lemon drizzle cake, with pouring cream!

**Dedication: **this chapter is for my good friend Marzy, a lovely Celtic beauty.

**Music:** **Snow Patrol – The Entire Album **_**One Hundred Million Suns**_. **Please see author's note at the bottom - you'll see why...**

**CHAPTER 10: SUNS**

**BPOV:**

Edward moved in a blur and swept me off my feet again into his arms, ghosting us through the house straight to the bedroom. He set me down on my feet just inside the room. With my arms around his neck, he embraced me with a deep kiss and walked me backwards towards the bed. My knees buckled under me when I could walk no further back and he pushed me down onto the bed.

Edward left me for a moment to walk to the music centre. He hesitated for a moment while making his selection and I lay there watching him, taking in his scent and the sexual aura emanating from him. He cast a look over his shoulder at me and then made his decision.

Having expected something classical, Edward's choice of music surprised me. Snow Patrol: a British Band. I'd only heard him play this album once since downloading it. I raised an eyebrow at him – his taste in music was eclectic and never ceased to surprise me.

"Thought I'd give their new album a whirl. I've popped it on random to help us get in the groove." He looked at me with gently sparkling eyes, his crooked half-smile etched on his face.

"As if I need encouraging" I responded, holding out my arms to him.

Edward bent down and lifted me further up towards the headboard, before crawling slowly onto the bed, leaning over me for a deep languid kiss. I melted into his touch and enjoyed taking in the slightly woody scent of his breath after hunting.

His eyes were burnt umber, darkening with desire, as he slowly kissed his way round my face and jawline, making his way to his favourite spot at the dip in my throat. He centred on that spot and sucked gently, while I squirmed with pleasure under him. When I had been human, that sensuous gesture had sent tingles all the way to my toes by way of my groin and driven me mad. Now I was a vampire, it was no different and that discovery had secretly thrilled me to the core.

The first strains of "Lifeboats" had opened up and Edward quietly hummed the tune, continuing to place kisses on me steadily while crooning the words to the song's slow pace.. Having heard it once already, he had purrfect recall...

The slow rhythm of the song carried me along dreamily under Edward's kisses as he slowly undressed me while swaying slightly in time to the song. I was overwhelmed by the sensuality of this moment – he was a musical animal and right now that music was flowing through him, putting him at peace and connecting with me in turn.

By the time this beautiful song had finished, Edward had removed all my clothing. His breath as he crooned over me while grazing me with kisses here and there had gently teased and tingled my skin, until I finally lay naked and breathless under his gaze. His eyes were full of love as they swept over my body and he reached forward to touch my face. I took his hand and kissed his fingers, taking his thumb into my mouth and sucking on it while holding his gaze. He groaned quietly at the subtle hints of pleasures to come. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his arousal, straining against his jeans.

Next came "Set down your glass" with the lilting sound of acoustic guitar, slow and pure. I reached up to silently remove Edward's jacket, then his shirt. Our gaze never wavered and we said not a word as we absorbed the lyrics and the sound of our slightly ragged breathing...

Edward had by now reclaimed my mouth and was kissing me deeply again. His hands grasped my head and threaded his fingers through my hair. I could tell he wanted to take things slowly and steadily for now and I was happy to go with him. His tenderness still blew me away and I couldn't imagine being happier anywhere else than right here under his love and adoration.

Barely taking time to move his mouth from mine, Edward removed the rest of his clothes and was finally revealed to me in all his naked splendour. My eyes greedily raked his body. His contours and arousal filled me with awe once more. He was simply mesmerising. I sighed deeply, etching another glorious memory in my mental treasure-chest.

As if guided by a divine hand, the music selection moved on to "Engines" and I felt Edward twitch with anticipation at the slight hitch of the opening beat.

Still kneeling, he ran his hands all over me, following his touch with feathery kisses which made me twist and moan as he worked his way down to my feet. He kissed the arch of each foot and worked his way up the insides of my legs. He ran his tongue all the way from my mound up to my throat, popping a brief kiss on my lips, before returning back down to where my heat was calling him. I looked down at him and ran my fingers through his mussed hair as he bent over the part of me he wanted to focus on next.

The lyrics of the song flowed through the sensations that Edward was slowly thrilling me with as his flickering tongue worked on my sex and explored inside:

I was carried away by the tenderness of the song and the oozing warmth that flowed between my legs. Edward kept his attention focused on his pleasuring of me until I was purring. I was welded to the bed and so let him work on that sweet spot where my arousal sprang from.

We hadn't made love to music very much before but I could see how it added significantly to the mood and I swore to myself that we would do this a whole lot more in future.

Next came "If There's a Rocket, Tie Me to It" and this was easily my favourite moment so far as it ramped me up to another level inside.

The crescendo of drums took me higher in pleasure as Edward speeded up his licks and touches. He clutched my groin to his face and kept sweeping me up in waves of delight as I bucked and moaned. I clutched his hands, fingers threaded together, and twitched involuntarily around him. He would move up my body now and then to plant my own scent on my mouth and give me his tongue, before moving back down to where I wanted him most. The driving beat of the music was the most erotic thing I had felt since Edward had first given himself over to me totally. It pushed him on to take me to higher planes of pleasure.

By the end of the song, I was totally overwhelmed by his devotions and screaming his name. I crashed into orgasm, cumming hard and heavy, panting and wanting to wrap my legs around him and pull him deep inside my core.

I was left speechless and totally blown away. Edward hung on to me and let my convulsions subside.

Then gently growling, he crept forward towards me, his eyes lustful and dark. His chin glistened with my juices. He was grinning intently and I could not take my eyes off him. He was prowling. He was predator. I was prey. I hitched a breath as I felt his power hit me.

Edward crawled up beside me and pulled me to his chest while I recovered from his pleasuring. I was caressed lightly and my temple kissed gently while he purred patiently beside me, arousal pouring off him. He kept himself in check fpr the delicious and subtle rhythms of "The Golden Floor". It was a generous gesture, but I could feel it was the calm before the next storm as the sexual tension built throughout the song.

The music changed tempo. Edward suddenly stirred and growled more fiercely. He could be patient no more.

He covered me with his body and entered me quickly, taking off into a steady pounding, aided by the driving beat of the music blasting out. I vaguely noted it was something about photographs but I didn't care at that point as I was being pleasured too intensely as Edward took me wildly. He peppered me with frenzied kisses and growled like mountain lion. His pace increased until he released into me while I clung on to him for the wild ride. He let out a feral cry of pleasure and swooped down on to my neck to claim my blood before I could do anything about it. I screamed and rocked straight into my own orgasm, not quite believing that his bite could do this to me.

A momentary silence descended on the room as the track finished and I lay there totally stunned. Edward wrapped me in his arms, totally spent and twitching now and then as he calmed down.

Again a divine hand intervened. Piano music and the first verses of "Lightning Strike" came over the speakers next and seemed somehow hauntingly appropriate. The music changed pace strangely as the track continued. I felt it was time to give Edward back some loving, but I wanted to take him along with me this time. I pushed him onto his back and straddled him. His cock twitched with interest and then thickened. The heat pulsing from his groin sang to mine and I positioned myself to start gently moving over him. Back and forward I gently rocked as I could feel Edward getting harder underneath me. I pulled his hands up to my breasts for more contact. I felt the rhythm of the music deep within me and then took Edward deep inside too.

I moved over him steadily as he closed his eyes in a blissful state and enjoyed the friction I was creating between us. The angle of entry had his shaft pushing up against that nub of pleasure I was learning to never take for granted.

As I rocked back and forward, part of my mind acknowledged that we had something special together. I'd always known that our lovemaking would be good because our connection was so strong. But I'd never imagined that Edward would fill me so much in all senses of the word. His touch was magical. His tenderness heartbreaking. His love overwhelming. When he let go and got into it, his ardour made me dizzy. Our energies combined to make us strong and at moments like these, everything felt so right.

Words from the extended dreamy song took on a deeper meaning as I gave myself body and soul to my husband. The music drove on in a dreamy way and took us forward with it as we timed our movements to the beat. Edward had moved his hands to my hips and was now guiding my movements until we could hold back no more and I went over into ecstasy again and Edward poured his soul into me, releasing another howl of pleasure. He bucked and twitched under me, the hot flood of his seed shooting deep into me and almost touching my heart.

I slumped over him, panting, drained but content.

When Edward had regained his senses, he lifted me tenderly off him and laid me down at his side, wrapping his arm under my neck and around my shoulder. We lay there perfectly still, looking at the ceiling, contemplating what we had just experienced, listening silently to "The Planets Bend for You" and yet again the lyrics took on a deeper meaning:

We listened to the rest of the album quietly as it chugged its way through the remaining tracks, ending with Crack the Shutters, which blew me away as they spoke directly to my soul.

Edward hit the "repeat" button on the remote control and we listened through the album again and again until dawn, and its partner daylight, starting creeping through the windows.

We kissed tenderly in acknowledgement of what had passed between us: life right now was perfect.

- * -

**A/N: Um yeah....wow......far out! Thank goodness I went with the flow on Edward's music choice. Am sat here stunned.**

**If you've not heard fabulous Scottish/Irish band Snow Patrol, then I implore you to check them out. Their album A Hundred Million Suns is brilliant, with sensitive lyrics, wicked harmonies and musicianship. Gary Lightbody is "The Man" - he rocks my world! Respect!**

**This whole chapter is devoted to the LOVEFEST that takes place during the playing of this album, creating the mood as Bella and Edward reach new heights in their love-making. Note: May I suggest you have this album on in the background while reading this chapter so you can catch the vibe I've tried to create? I played the tracks endlessly to get the vibe right. It was so powerful that it blew me away and was almost a spiritual experience!**

**Thank you for following this story and for adding it to your favourites list - I've been tickled pink by your support.**


	11. Treehuggers

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight - can't thank her for creating the most wonderful family.**

**Warning: **I'm going organic lemons this time, due to location.

**Dedication: **for Ingrid, a well-loved organic beauty with an original mind!

**Music:** The Beloved - Sweet Harmony.

**CHAPTER 11: TREEHUGGERS**

**BPOV:**

After our magical evening of lovemaking to music, I tore myself away from Edward to go and take a shower, to welcome the new day all clean and fresh. I relaxed as the water pummelled into me and washed away the evidence of our lovemaking. Rather wantonly, I was thinking about how I'd love to wear Edward's musk as a perfume but could just imagine the howls of derision from the others when they caught on. It was just as well Edward couldn't read my mind or that my cheeks could no longer flame with embarrassment at such erotic thoughts.

Edward had ambled into the living room and started playing a melody on the old upright piano which I now knew to be an heirloom from Edward's old family home in Chicago.

Esme had taken great care to make sure the piano had stayed safely in storage until such time as the right location finally came up for it to come out from under the dustsheets. Her refurbishment of the cottage had reminded her that this would be the purrfect place for the the treasured piano to come back into use.

At Esme's urging, Rosalie had apparently tuned the piano as a friendly gesture for Edward. They might get on each other's nerves and not always see eye to eye, but they shared a love of piano playing and musicianship. I also had an inkling it had also been another gesture of kinship towards me – she knew it would make me happy if Edward was happy.

"Are you going to join me in here, Edward?" I enquired above the rising steam.

"If we're going to get out of here today, I'd better not. I'll have one later" he responded, his fingers continuing to describe a nice melody I recognised vaguely as something by the Dixie Chicks. Another surprise. He gently sang as he played.

I smiled as I heard him being all romantic and mushy. Still, it made a change from the classical strains I was used to hearing or the nursery rhymes he had recently taken to playing.

It was time to get that boy outside and into the fresh air. "How about a quick hunt before we go the house?" I asked, stepping out of the shower to towel myself dry while studiously avoiding the mirror and the sight of those shocking red eyes. "Think you can behave yourself long enough for us to get a snack before we see Renesmee?"

Edward barked a laugh and got up from the piano. "Yeah, good idea. I'll ring the house first".

I heard him flip open his phone and speak to someone I took to be Emmett as I heard Edward's half of the conversation. "Yes thank you.... don't be like that... it wasn't that bad was it?.....yes the bed is still in one piece....will you shut up a minute? Do you want me to come up there and knock your block off? ...Yeah yeah, I'm sorry too. Look, Bella and I are going to hunt quickly before coming up to the house. Is everything ok up there?" Edward fell silent for a moment or two. "ok, well let us know when she wakes up.....no....we won't be long....oh very funny!"

By the time Edward had finished the call, I'd found some fresh clothes and was fully dressed with hair brushed but still wet. "What was all that about?"

"Emmett thinks he's a comedian." Edward rolled his eyes, "He said he wasn't as keen on Snow Patrol as we are!"

I giggled, "That's typical of him. Letting us know he knows blah blah blah....How's Renesmee?" I queried.

"He said she was still sleeping soundly and as beautiful as ever. He also commented that Alice had foreseen we'd take longer than planned to get to the house, except he was more graphic about it."

I chuckled at what I imagined Emmett might have said. My brother in law was incorrigible but lovable.

Edward ghosted to the closet and was dressed in fresh clothes before I'd even straightened up the bedroom. I glanced round to check everything was pretty much in place, with nothing incriminating for Emmett or Alice find if they decided to check up on the place.

Edward gave me a hug and a kiss, whispering a teasing "Missed you!" before we headed on out into the woods.

We sprinted for miles north-eastwards, with me following Edward's scent. He blurred ahead of me but was easy to keep track of, which I found pleasing. The sounds of woodpeckers hammering, chatter of birds and the squawks of gamebirds ceased as we passed through, the wildlife sensing a lurking danger hurtling by. Of course we were interested only in bigger game. All I could hear for the moment was Edward's steady footfall ahead and a light breeze in the treetops.

Edward had evidently picked up a scent ahead and veered off the slightly until we came upon a small herd of deer. Not his favourite menu, I knew, but it would do. We quickly took down a couple of the younger bucks and this time I made a better job of it, with fewer blood splashes.

The other deer had scattered in panic and before I knew it, my initial reaction was to give chase, abandoning the carcass I'd drained in a few seconds. I shot off after the deer herd and Edward gave chase after me, shouting for me to stop. I reined it in after a few minutes and as soon as the realisation hit that we couldn't travel much further without getting wet. No sooner had my mind pinned that notion down than I discovered my unplanned run had brought us out to a hillside with a view out over the water towards Vancouver Island.

I stopped to admire the view, in awe of the detail I could make out from where we stood.

Edward quietly pulled up behind me and grabbed me around the waist in a cuddle. After a few moments of stillness, he whispered in my ear, "I've got an idea. Go with me on this.".

With that, he slung me on his back, piggyback style for old time's sake, and started to scale a nearby tall pine. He shinned up it, with me giggling madly into his neck, and when he had reached a good 100 feet, manoeuvred us both on to a large branch near the top. He swung me round him to sit on the branch and I scrambled nimbly to a spot just in front of him. He adjusted himself to sit with his back to the trunk and pulled me close so I was straddling him like a chairback, cuddling into his chest. We looked out over the sound, drinking in the magnificent view of the trees and waves, and the seabirds wheeling around below. The desolate cry of seagulls wafted up to us and I could hear waves lapping the shoreline, even at this distance.

"This brings back a few memories. Remember when I took you up the tree near our house shortly after we started seeing each other properly?" murmured Edward. He grazed a delicate kiss over the rim of my ear and hugged me tighter, breathing in my scent.

"How could I forget?" I replied, sighing wistfully, "It was by far most amazing thing that had happened to me up to that point" I pulled my head back from Edward momentarily to look him in the face, "I'd already fallen irrevocably in love with you, but that romantic gesture just about sealed the deal for me."

He kissed me full on the lips and smiled. "Yeah, I was showboating a bit but it obviously worked as I got my woman!"

"Edward, my love, you had me at "hello". You'd already won that battle." I teased, thinking back to those times when I could remember the sight of him setting my pulse racing. _The memories may be slightly dimmer, but I'll never forget how his eyes sparkled when he showed me his secret hideout._

I thought back to how we'd spent hours up the tree, cuddling and just talking quietly about anything and everything. Never one to draw attention to myself, I had talked and talked at Edward's urging, while he asked me endless questions about me and my history, my likes and dislikes. I'd opened up to him in a way I never thought possible.

We had bonded strongly during that special afternoon. I'd been euphoric from the magic of that climb and had had a hard time concentrating on the meal Dad and I had shared afterwards. Poor Mike Newton had seemed an irritation when I bumped into him after my special afternoon with Edward. Him making that crack about Edward looking at me like something to eat only reinforced just how much I trusted Edward's control and what a magical being I'd been so lucky to stumble into .

Edward sat quietly with me and we looked out from our eyrie, pointing out landmarks here and there, chatting about a possible trip over to Vancouver Island for a change. I recalled how my Dad had taken me over there on the ferry from Vancouver one time when I was about 10 years old. It had been a fabulous sunny day and we'd walked around Victoria, eating the biggest muffins I'd ever seen.

"How does it feel to be back up a tree but now with vampire eyes?" Edward asked curiously, kissing my cheek gently.

"Rather nice actually. I can obviously see for miles and can make out detail down at the shoreline which a human would need a telescope for. My eyes almost feel like zoom lenses" I muttered, mildly amused. "In fact if I suffered from vertigo I'd be in real trouble now, seeing everything down there in such detail!"

Edward started nuzzling my neck, nibbling his way round to my chin and mouth. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall". He touched my face lightly, pushing a few strands of still-damp hair out of the way.

"With your arms wrapped round me, I feel nice and safe right here, Mr Spidermonkey!" I chuckled quietly into his mouth.

Our kiss suddenly deepened. Edward pushed his tongue into my mouth and ran the tip along the underside of my top lip. I shuddered with pleasure. He then moved his tongue to the roof of my mouth and then further back, gently tickling towards the back of my mouth. As a human, I would no doubt have fainted at this, almost certainly forgetting to breathe by this point. Now I had no qualms about it and sucked on his tongue as greedily as I could.

My response provoked a gutteral groan from Edward and a sense of urgency developed as we worshipped each other's mouths. His attentions become more strident as he moved with my kisses and tilted my head so he could get better access to me. He groaned again as he clamped his arms round me in a tighter bear hug. He quivered with delight at this unexpected intimacy in such an unusual place.

I registered the fact that Edward had a rather insistent bulge pressing into me near where our thighs met. _Mmmm that's warm. Oooh so nice. I wonder if....._While I was kissing Edward back as passionately as he was kissing me, I wondered idly if we might be able to do anything about his little dilemma. I started to get wet at the thought.

As if reading my mind, Edward released me for a moment and started to shrug his jogging trousers down his hips. _Oh of course he can smell me. he's so damned hot......he always does this to me...he smells so good....._Shaking my head to clear the fug, I reached down and pulled his manhood out of his boxer shorts. Gently stroking it, I delicately rubbed the tip . He trembled slightly at my touch and squirmed a little, making gentle thrusts into my hand.

_This could be interesting _I thought to myself, and proceeded to lean back from him, shrugging my own jogging bottoms and underwear down a bit to afford access to where heat was building up nicely. I braced my feet against the tree trunk behind Edward and clasped my hands behind his neck. He in turn manoeuvred me so I was comfortably positioned over his now fully erect manhood. I groaned in anticipation as Edward smirked at me and gave me a distinctly lascivious smile. He teased me for a few moments, faintly brushing my entrance with his cock and making as if to enter.

I groaned and whimpered at the "almost but not quite" promise centred at where where my arousal met his. I growled into his mouth, actively seeking the back of his throat with my tongue which was showing him what I wanted him to do to me with his glorious cock.

He relented and with a sigh of pleasure, I sank onto his shaft, taking in his full length. I briefly marvelled at how snug and convenient this unusual position up the tree actually was. My tilted position made the angle of penetration particularly satisfying and Edward hissed his own pleasure at sinking so deeply into my body while bearhugging me like a man clinging to a life-raft.

I nearly came on the spot as he entered me, but controlled myself an instant before it was too late!

Using the trunk for leverage, I slowly started to move up and down Edward's shaft. We greatly enjoyed the sensations of that for a while, steadily increasing in tempo and voicing our mutual pleasure. Edward's moans of contentment in my ear spurred me on steadily faster. I leaned back and luxuriated in the total wantonness of our situation.

"I can't believe we're doing this" I sighed. "Now we know what Alice meant."

"She's a witch. Now shut up and let me love you some more" he murmured, kissing me deeply, cutting off any reply.

The branch we were on creaked ominously as it was buffetted by our vampire speed of lovemaking. The pine needles swished and rustled and bits of wood flaked down from the trunk and branch above as I sought to give Edward as much pleasure as possible. He was positively humming with pleasure. At some point I'd moved in closer to him, clutching him with only one arm and using the other to cling on to the branch just above us as I slightly shifted position. _my god, I'd have cramp by now if I were human.....oh this is good...._

Edward grasped me around the waist to direct the friction of our movements at the speed he now wanted to move. I could feel the mounting heat surging forward and the sensations intensifying within me. _Oh god yes....unmmh......_ "Edward, I'm going to come" I grunted at him.

"That's the idea," he gasped "I want you to come before me. I want you to milk me. Take me deeper Bella."

When he spoke to me like that, it was so erotic and I seemed to be programmed to respond to his commands. No sooner had he uttered those words which owned my soul, I let out a yelp and contracted around him, desperately thrashing and clinging on to him, hoping he'd never let me go. I could feel my muscles clamping him, riding out convulsion after convulsion, just as he let himself go in me and I felt his deliciously hot juices shoot up into me in return. _intense.....ah......._I'd milked him but good!

There really was no other feeling like this on Earth. I dry-sobbed into his neck and clutched him to me like I was drowning. Well I suppose I was – drowning in a sea of pleasure. _Oh my god, I can't believe we just did that. 100ft up a damned tree.......whatever would Chief Swan say about that?? Is there even a police code for what we're doing?? Crap I'm babbling....  
_

"I love you" I murmured into Edward's ear. "Can we stay like this forever?"

"If you'd like," he muttered, looking at me with that damned sexy crooked half-smile and a glint in his eye. "Not sure what Emmett would say about that though".

At that moment, the phone in Edward's pocket started to ring. Damn Alice and her big mouth........!

**A/N: Yeah, that's another fantasy done and dusted. Lots of tree shaking, prickly pine and sap! **T**his chapter pays homage to the "tree scene" in the film which had me falling headlong and irrevocably for Edward. Pass me the tissues....**

**Special thanks also go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	12. Pour Some Sugar

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Warning: Warmed over lemons, drizzled with melted sugar.**

**Dedication: **For Dawn

**Music:** Always been a Def Lep fan: Pour Some Sugar on Me

**CHAPTER 12: POUR SOME SUGAR  
**

**BPOV:**

Bella and I were sitting on the living room couch at the main house. Carlisle had gone to hospital for his shift; Rosalie and Emmett had gone for a hunting trip up into Canada, wanting some time to themselves after the past month's events. Rosalie had apparently taken some persuading, but Emmett played an ace that Rosalie couldn't resist, so off they'd gone; Esme and Alice had decided to take a trip down to Port Angeles, taking a curious Renesmee with them. They wanted to go shopping for baby clothes and sundry items, and Renesmee had indicated she'd be happy to go with them.

Edward and I had argued at first that we should go with them, with this being her first trip away from the house. Letting Renesmee travel so far away from us was a heartwrenching prospect. However, Esme and Alice had insisted they wanted some alone time with Renesmee and had an afternoon of shopping fun lined up, stocking up on outfits and baby paraphernalia.

Alice had foreseen the trip would go smoothly. We didn't want to spoil their fun by tagging along on the kind of trip we'd normally avoid like the plague, so we acquiesced and stayed behind. They went off giggling excitedly.

Jasper had taken the opportunity to go into Seattle to attend to some unnamed business. Edward had not been able to determine what the business was, as Jasper had taken great care to shield his thoughts. He indicated he wouldn't be back until after sundown. Edward didn't wish to pry and so left him alone.

Even the wolves were absent. Jacob had gone back home to be with Billy who wasn't well today. Carlisle would swing by Billy's on his way home after his shift. Jacob wanted to make his peace while Billy didn't have the strength to shout at him and also take the opportunity to talk to Sam and the Elders.

Jacob had spent days in our company, unable to tear himself away from Renesmee, but joining the girls on a shopping trip was apparently a devotion too far. He'd stoically decided that paying attention to his other family was more important today.

Seth and Leah had opted to pay a visit to their mother and this evening they would all be attending a beach gathering for some storytelling. The impression was that Charlie would probably tag along at some stage, given his and Sue's developing closeness following the death of Charlie's great friend, Harry Clearwater.

Edward and I had of course hunted briefly early that morning, prior to our escapade up the tall pine tree. I smiled at the recollection of our giggles as we'd descended the tree, leaping easily from branch to branch, scrambling down as Edward laughingly sang lyrics from the old Who classic "I Can See for Miles".

After we'd hit the ground again, we'd sped south-west in the direction of Forks towards our waiting family. Emmett's phonecall at the end of our unexpected tryst had been a kind of wake up call – he was ringing to tell us that Renesmee was now awake and making it known she wanted to see us. Emmett had by then also cornered Alice and tickled her until she'd revealed why we were a bit further from home than intended.

Our secret was evidently out.

During the run, we dreaded the comments we'd have to endure, and traded various suggestions on how we'd rebuff the inevitable teasing we were in for back at the house. When we arrived, the first sight to greet us was Emmett wearing a yellow hard hat, dressed in lumberjack shirt, jeans and boots, wearing a harness around his waist and wielding a chainsaw. He announced he'd decided to try his hand as a tree surgeon as it looked like fun.

We rolled our eyes with embarrassment, but said nothing. We didn't rise to the teasing even though Jasper could feel we were mortified and Edward was tensing up. Emmett eventually gave up when he realised Edward wasn't going to hurl any furniture at him to shut him up. "Awww you're no fun" scowled Emmett.

Shortly afterwards, he'd grabbed Rosalie and said they were off to hunt bears on the other side of the border. His parting shot was that they would try some free-climbing as it could be a family tradition in the making.

The rest of the family made themselves scarce shortly afterwards and so we had the house to ourselves.

Edward spent a few minutes asking me what I would like to do now we were alone. He suggested the beach, the cottage, a drive, going to see a movie, even a ride out together on his new motorbike. I wasn't in the mood for any of those options right now even though I was a bit restless.

I debated about visiting Charlie. He'd been to the house a few times now but was still maintaining this slightly stand-offish approach, not wanting to know the details of the paranormal life he'd caught glimpses of. However, a phonecall to his office determined he was on duty for the day and had in fact been called out to an incident which was likely to occupy him for several hours. I fervently wished him safe but, at the same time, was slightly relieved I needn't put on a charade for him today.

So here we were sat on the couch, while I pondered how to make use of our new-found freedom. We were like teenagers suddenly finding their parents aren't home and so are itching to sneak into the drinks cabinet. Edward sat with his arm around my shoulder, my head resting on his shoulder blade, while he stroked one of my hands absently.

Why don't you play some piano to me, Edward?" I suggested as a momentary distraction.

"Sure - what would you like me to play you, darling wife?" he asked.

"Anything you like. Just thought it would be relaxing for us both if you played something."

Edward kissed my temple and ambled over to the piano, seating himself silently. "How about Greensleeves?" he ventured jokingly.

His hands started to move gently over the keys, picking out snippets of melodies but not settling on any one. He played my lullaby for me and then eventually, he took a deep breath and segued into a classical piece I didn't recognise but which seemed to hold his attention.

I leaned my head back on the couch to clear my mind and tried bringing some calm to my new body. It had been bombarded by days of strong sensations and instinctive reactions. I'd been variously stunned, delighted, over-awed and terrified by my reactions to everyday challenges as a vampire.

Being able to flit easily from A to B was thrilling. Getting used to handling everyday objects had been quite fun. There had been a few breakages but that was only to be expected. Esme had been very patient with me and hadn't scolded me. Yet.

Carlisle had tried to buttonhole me a couple more times about my transformation experience but I'd deftly deferred the issue, pleading continued vagueness about it. He sensed I wasn't ready but didn't push it, hugging me reassuringly.

The daily arm-wrestling matches with Emmett were a source of fun for me, if not for him. He was easy to wind up and take down a peg or two. Rosalie always looked on with disdain, but I could hear the others chuckle quietly among themselves.

My new skin tone was still mesmerising and of course, the eyes were something else entirely.

One of the best things in this new life was of course being able to respond Edward so fully and being able to reciprocate his love without fear of being hurt. I'd been empowered by the notion that I could actually hurt him if I were not careful, but so far he'd not said a word about me doing so. Even as a human, I could not have anticipated that his new-found enthusiasm for sex would be such an eye-opener. I felt deep joy that it was even better than I'd ever hoped it could be. I relished the thought of years to come enjoying his attentions in such a passionate way.

"Are you ok, love?" Edward asked of me after several minutes or so of no conversation.

"Yeah I'm fine. Just enjoying the atmosphere of the house with no other vampires in it, especially ones teasing us about our love life!"

My thoughts then turned to Renesmee. Beautiful Renesmee. The eighth Wonder of the World? My overwhelming love for her was also one of the best things about this new life. I ached for her cuddles momentarily but knew she would be home soon enough and she would be full of her new experiences with her aunt and granny. The feelings I had for her were of course tempered by worries, but I guessed any mother would be feeling the same this early on in motherhood.

She was only 14 days old but already quite advanced. Frighteningly so. Carlisle was still keeping the routine of measuring her frequently. Her appetite for blood was undiminished and Esme & Carlisle's efforts at feeding her human food were still yielding no results. Renesmee spat human food out like it was pap. She would grimace, spit and then smile with her pearly white teeth, her face lighting up as if to say "I told you so". No amount of coaxing would persuade her to swallow human baby food. I worried that her visits to Charlie would necessarily be curtailed if she could not blend in with humans and share mealtimes with her human grandfather. This saddened me.

My mind drifted for a while after this last disappointing thought until a spark of an idea came to me. What if we could make something palatable for her? I sat forward with a start and exclaimed. A moment later, I felt a breeze as the piano playing stopped and Edward ghosted to my side. "What's the matter, love?" he queried with an urgent tone in his voice.

"It's ok, don't worry. I just had a thought about Renesmee's food. I have an idea I'd like to try" and with that I got up from the couch and headed towards the kitchen. Edward followed behind bemused and curious.

I started opening cupboards and fridges to see what was available to me for ingredients and tools. Assessing the situation, I decided that cookies or muffins might be the best place to start. We had flour, eggs, butter, yeast, sugar, oatmeal, vanilla essence, banana, raspberries and with Esme's foresight, there was also chocolate.

As a human, I had been used to cooking for Charlie, and my mother before that, so being back in the kitchen was like being my old self again. I relaxed, glad to be doing something familiar, and even whistled a bit tunelessly as I flitted about getting things ready.

Edward stood leaning against the doorframe, with a grin on his face. "You look like a woman on a mission" he mused.

"Yep!" I threw him a look, "are you going to help me or standing there making wisecracks?".

"I'm not sure my culinary skills are up to whatever you've got in mind there."

"Watch and learn Mr Cullen," I commented haughtily. "Even better, you can be my assistant, so come over here".

"Gladly, but I'm not wearing an apron, ok?"

I'd set up 3 lots of bowls and ingredients. The ovens were warming. So commenced the baking session.

I'd decided to make chocolate cookies and vanilla oatmeal cookies for the wolves, and some special berry ones for Renesmee as she might be developed enough to handle it. We would also make some banana and chocolate muffins for the boys, and again some berry ones for Renesmee. I told Edward the plan and in a short space of time, I had him measuring out butter and sugar, instructing him to whip them together until smooth. At vampire speed, there was no need for an electric mixer, that was for sure, even if he was slightly messier.

Edward soon had the cookie mixtures right and we divided them up into their various flavours. At that point, I needed Edward's assistance and so vacated the kitchen for a few moments while he added the extra ingredient for Renesmee's cookies. He'd looked surprised when I'd told him the special ingredient, raising his eyebrows, but he accepted the notion with a shrug. "Ok, I'll go with it"

As I peeked at him from the other room, Edward looked the picture of domesticity and flashed back a grin to me. _Never thought I'd see him baking....he looks kinda domesticated with that mixing bowl...Chef Edward..._

I went back into the kitchen, gave him a cuddle and gently patted his backside. "What's that for?" he asked, looking sidelong at me.

"For being a poppet and helping me out" I replied, ignoring his disarming grin.

I decided to add some honey to the vanilla/oatmeal cookies for the boys. After I put a dollop in the mixture, Edward wordlessly grabbed the spoon out of my hand and dipped it into the honey. Putting a small amount on the spoon, he then astonished me by taking it into his mouth and sucking on it slowly, nailing me with hypnotic gaze so intense that I felt my belly lurch.

Edward obviously saw the twitch reflected in my expression and leaned forward to plant a seductive kiss on my lips. _This is trouble...._I thought to myself and with a struggle, pulled myself away from his lips, to finish sorting out the cookies.

Determinedly, and despite Edward's insistence on hugging me round the waist while I did so, I spread the resulting cookie mixtures onto the trays. Edward released me for long enough to walk over to the ovens on the other side of the kitchen and set the trays in there to bake for 10 minutes.

On seeing the timer actively set, Edward closed the gap between us and lifted me onto the work counter there. I was just the right height to be level with his face. He leaned forward and without further ado, moved his sticky lips onto mine. He proceeded to kiss me deeply and rigorously, leaving me in no doubt he was intent on a thorough inspection of my tonsils! The taste of the honey was strange but oddly not too unpleasant. It was definitely sticky though and so I set about cleaning it off his tongue.

We had a very pleasant 10 minutes of kissing until the buzzer went off. We pulled away from each other grudgingly, so we could remove the trays from the oven. The cookies had turned out just about purrfect and they looked surprisingly mouthwatering. We just had to make sure the right parties got the right cookies.

Next we turned our attention to the muffins. Edward was a little too enthusiastic with his efforts and ended up covered in white flour dust after sifting it into the bowls. He then moved on to the yeast and fat, making a mess of that too. Amazing that he could hunt down a deer cleanly, but was like a 4 year old in the kitchen! His face got smeared and when it came to the chocolate, flakes of it flew everywhere. Oh for the human days when I would have hoovered that up!

Instead, I giggled at him and quickly dashed to grab my cellphone to take a photo of the evidence. Another treasure for Esme's photo album.

The mixtures bubbled nicely and once we'd got the divisions of portions right, I left the kitchen again for a few moments while Edward put the finishing touches to the mixtures.

We had fun putting the muffin mix into the little moulds and somehow I ended up with dabs of mix on my nose and chin. It might have had something to do with an enthusiastic Edward swatting me with a spoon, trying to distract me. We swiftly cleaned up the mess, loading up the dishwasher and leaving Esme's kitchen in a pretty good state. I was pleased at this attempt at normality and felt it would be something I could share with Esme in future.

No sooner had I put down the dishcloth, than I was hoisted up on to the worktop once more and faced with a husband who wanted to ardently lock lips again. "I rather like these worktops" he muttered, closing in on my face.

"Yeah, I seem to recall you liked them at my Dad's house too, but not quite as much" I replied huskily.

Edward nuzzled into me and pressed his body close. I felt heat flare from my lower body as my subconscious became aware of Edward's own growing need to be snug against me. _Oh ok, batter up! _I sighed contentedly in the knowledge that my body had the power to do this to Edward and he now responded so willingly.

Edward's tongue sought mine out, flicking in and out of my mouth. He then started nibbling my lips and down along the edge of my jaw in a way that was so damned hot and was now becoming so wonderfully familiar. I loved every moment of it. I used to think I could die happy for just having spent hours kissing him. Now that I was vampire, he could really deepen his kisses. The taste and smell of him and his arousal provoked an instant reaction in me each and every time.

This time I grabbed him around the waist, pulled him more tightly towards the heat between my thighs, and kissed him back fiercely. Connecting physically with his impressive bulge just spurred me on. I locked my legs around him as he scooted me forward slightly, but still with me supported on the workstop. His bulge was what I wanted now. Oh this was heaven. _Bring that sucker closer please.._I purred to myself_._

Edward lifted my chin and started kissing my neck, edging down further towards my cleavage. He cupped my breast and gently squeezed, grazing me as he moved across it, sending white hot jolts of pleasure down into my groin. My body reacted instinctively and I groaned longingly in his ear.

While I generally loved him kissing my throat, him bending to do so took his bulge further away from me and that was too good a sensation to miss. So I yanked him back in tight towards me, enjoying the renewed heat. I unbuttoned his shirt a few notches, seeking out his glorious chest. He never failed to stir me. I covered him with my own kisses, paying particular attention to one of his nipples, lavishing it with licks and sucking on it greedily.

Edward let out a gasp and started moving his hips against my groin. Even though I was wearing jeans like he was, I could feel his manhood as if he were naked. His groin sang to mine and felt like it was on fire. He was hard, swollen and throbbing. I reached down to cup him in the palm of my hand, still sucking on his nipple. He moved his bulge against my hand and let me rub it gently. I could feel it twitch. _Omg, should we go upstairs? What if we get caught by one of the others coming back?_

With a growl, Edward lifted my face back to his and rammed his tongue firmly back in my mouth, flinging my arms around his neck. He squeezed me to him and rubbed more vigorously against my groin. "Does that feel good, Bella? Am I pleasing you?" he mumbled into my mouth.

My only answer was another groan and slight nod of the head. I was getting more excited and caught up in the friction of his movements. _Omg this is glorious....oh yeah, keep going....oh yeah, just there.....mmmmmmm......_I was fairly humming now!

"You sure feel good to me, Bella. Are you all hot and wet for me?"

All I could do was groan yet again in response as he wouldn't stopping kissing me. It was like he wanted to own my body. With my newborn strength, I could have pushed him away easily. Instead, because I was aroused like I couldn't believe, I just clung to him, going with him on this.

"Can't believe how much I want you Bella. Every time just gets better and better. I can't get enough of you" he moaned in my ear, leaving my mouth bereft for a moment.

Just then the buzzer went off on the ovens. I jumped clean out of my skin!

Edward merely lifted me off the worktop and started walking with me still clamped to him. He flicked off the oven as we passed and took me to the big couch in the living room, swiftly laying me down and crawling on top of me.

I put my hands through his hair, panting into his neck. Even though we were not skin on skin, we might as well have been. The knowledge that one of our extended family might walk in on us added a frisson of excitement to our activities.

Edward continued to thrust against me, hard and hot, feeling exquisite through the barrier of his jeans. It didn't take long for that now familiar feeling to start rising in me. My groin was on fire and aching like it was about to burst. Edward could sense it and he could smell it. "Come for me, sweet Bella", he crooned. Just about the sexiest thing he could say to me. _Jeez, I can't hold on ........_

"Oh Edward..." I gasped and let go completely, bucking into him, wanting to pin him forever between my legs. An explosion of hot wetness pooled beneath me. Edward sought out my mouth again and gave me the sweetest of deep kisses, savouring my moment of joy which then sent him into his own release, twitching and groaning above me. He thrust against me a few more times until he was spent.

If I'd still been human, I would no doubt have been a wondrous shade of pink by now at the exertion and the embarrassment of making out on Esme's couch!

Instead, we smiled and giggled, hugging each happily, enjoying that we had enjoyed each other so much. Yet again. _Goodness, how many times is that this week? Are we always going to be like this? No wonder Emmett and Rosalie were banished..... _

Edward roused himself slowly and kissed me on the cheek. He pulled me to my feet and into another cuddle. "I'd better go and get cleaned up" he mumbled with a smile. He looked pointedly and ruefully at the front of his jeans.

"Point taken, love. You'd better sprint upstairs quickly just in case." I giggled again. "We should definitely do more baking in future if it makes you get going like that, my little studmuffin". I beamed daftly at my own joke.

"That's how the cookie crumbles, my love!" he teased back as he disappeared upstairs to change.

**A/N: Phew...I've always felt it to be a very sensual experience to make out fully clothed. Hope you agree. Did you guess what the secret ingredient was for Renesmee's new snacks?**

**Special thanks also go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	13. Fulfillment

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my dreams in recent months.**

**Dedication: **For Rachael, a wonderful mum to her boys and who, while not having things easy, is not afraid of trying new challenges. Respect!

**Music vibe: **Dixie Chicks - Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) This is a simple beautiful piece - appropriate as it relates to a young child.

**CHAPTER 13: FULFILLMENT**

**BPOV:**

Edward and I were sitting on the couch, having been cuddling up for a couple of hours after our "smooch", when Jasper returned from his trip to Seattle a few hours earlier than anticipated. Edward and I smiled briefly at his arrival, eyes sparkling. Although we newlyweds had come down from our sexual high of earlier on, we were evidently still in a state of heightened emotion. Jasper locked onto this, shuffled up unexpectedly beside me, leaned forward and quirked an eyebrow at Edward questioningly.

_[Been playing around while we've all been out, have we? _he quizzed silently with a wry smile. _You two are positively humming._ _I can smell the pheromones Edward - you two reek of sex! _Edward shrugged a shoulder and tried to look innocent. _Glad I didn't walk in on you doing the horizontal two-step, my brother. Please tell me you didn't do it on the carpet here.]_

Edward glared at that comment but said nothing.

I saw the silent conversation between them, and looked from side to side at each in turn, as if watching a tennis match. I smacked Edward on the shoulder and then did the same to Jasper for good measure.

"If you two are going to talk about me, have the decency to talk out loud will you please?!" I exclaimed. "I AM in the room you know".

"What?" they both said in unison. I stifled a giggle at the looks on their faces. "You know exactly what I mean, the pair of you" I grumbled.

"Exactly why I didn't saying anything, ma'am" mumbled Jasper, another smile passing over his face. "I just wanted to spare your blushes" He lifted my hand and kissed it, southern style.

"Aw hell, Jasper, there's no point being bashful in this household" I rolled my eyes and grinned back at him, secretly pleased he felt relaxed enough to make that gentlemanly gesture which was so endearing.

We all chuckled quietly and then changed the subject, sitting companionably for the next hour or two, reading and chatting idly now and then. Edward kept his arm round my shoulder and kissed me on the temple from time to time. He'd whisper "I love you" and whatever aura he was projecting would make Jasper squirm and look at Edward with doleful eyes. No words were exchanged then, just smiles.

Each time Jasper and Edward chatted and made a reference to some element of their family life I wasn't familiar with, I pressed them for details. My new mind wanted to avidly store new information and hear all about events and stories which were decades old to them, but only moments old to me.

Edward eventually stretched and commented that Esme and Alice were not too far away, approaching the house at speed. "Time to gird your loins, folks, the shopaholics are back and they're ready to assault us with the fruits of their hunt."

We enjoyed the last of our tranquillity before the shopping divas swept into the house a few minutes later. They were chattering up a storm, laden with bags and boxes, laughing excitedly. Edward dashed outside to retrieve our bewildered daughter from the car and ghosted back to my side, kissing her cheek tenderly. Renesmee reached for my face and let out a gentle sigh. I looked into her chocolate eyes and re-connected with her.

The adults in the room then all spent the next half hour looking at and admiring all the baby accessories that Alice had managed to squeeze into the car. Edward commented he was amazed there was room for Renesmee at all amongst the boxes. Alice snorted at him and held her nose up haughtily at the teasing, but Jasper laughed and agreed heartily with Edward.

Alice sat on the floor surrounded by a baby gym, a colourful crocheted quilt, some building blocks, a trolley to pull along, shape games and puzzles, umpteen outfits and booties, about 30 soft toys and teddybears, the biggest of which was a 3ft tall silky brown bear called Edward Bear – identified by a name patch on its foot.

"How could we not?" Alice laughed disarmingly at Edward's wry grin as he unconsciously swept his hand through his hair in that gesture I had come to know and love so well. He raised his eyebrows in dismay and blew out a breath of mild exasperation.

Alice clapped her hands in glee. Nobody was getting a bigger kick out of being a shopaholic aunt than she was at that moment.

Renesmee was now in my arms, touching my face and telling me what her aunt and granny had been doing while emptying the shopping mall. She also wrinkled her face a little and indicated that she was hungry. I grimaced at the image of a bottle of blood. Edward, who had been following our one-way conversation, streaked to the kitchen to warm up Renesmee's snack. I sighed heavily and handed my daughter over to Edward so that he could feed her. It would be a while before I could cope with her mealtimes, but I hoped it wouldn't be too long.

On going through to the kitchen, Esme had noticed we'd been baking in their absence. She exclaimed her pleasure at me having initiated some home-cooking and how well I seemed to be coping with everyday activities. She voiced the hope that we could try out some new recipes together in due course. That appealed to my mothering nature, but also boded well for some practical ways of filling in the masses of time open to us as vampires. Cooking for the wolves was almost a full-time occupation.

Esme queried the cookies and muffins. I explained my idea behind the baking session, the adding of blood to the berry items, and suggested that Renesmee might like to try a berry muffin after having some liquid lunch.

Renesmee initially indicated plainly to her father that he need not bother trying, but after the first bottle, Edward took a muffin and waved it under her nose. At first she bridled and turned her head away, shaking it from side to side.

"Now come on Renesmee, you haven't even tried, sweetheart." He held the muffin up again and tore a bite-sized piece off. "Just smell it sweetheart. See what you think. Doesn't it smell good? Mmmmm yum yum.....". He made as if to eat a piece.

I laughed at this old trick I'd seen my cousins try on their babies a few years ago. It didn't work back then and didn't look like it was going to work now.

Renesmee patted Edward's face again and he laughed.

"What?" I queried, holding my breath for a moment.

"She's showing me a picture of throwing up. Nice to know she doesn't trust daddy's cooking!" He tried again with the piece of muffin, holding it up to Renesmee's nose. "There now, that's not so bad is it? It's got something special in it just for you."

Renesmee brought her face to the piece of muffin, sniffed it and tentatively mouthed it. She chewed. Then chewed some more. Then swallowed. Then she beamed a toothy smile.

She touched Edward's face again. With that he flitted, with her in his arms, into the kitchen, re-emerging with another bottle of blood. "Something to wash it down with" he said, pragmatically. "Oh well, Rome wasn't built in a day".

He held up a cookie he'd grabbed while in the kitchen. "So what about this then?"

Esme looked askance at him. "Oh Edward, she's only a few days old. I don't think she's likely to take to that yet".

However, Renesmee surprised us and opted to suck on the cookie, rather than eat it, holding it in both hands. She waved it about a bit but didn't take any bites from it. I felt a bit disappointed but philosophical. "I guess she doesn't like blood in all forms yet. I have to say the cookies do smell tempting though!"

"You'd only have to dislodge them later Bella, so don't go near them" Edward reminded me.

Alice giggled. "Well I thought it was a nice idea. Worth a try. Maybe in another week or two, you might have more success." I know you enjoyed your first baking session, so I'm sure you'll definitely enjoy the next one. Alice looked knowingly at us but said nothing more. Edward growled mildly. Nothing escaped this little minx.

Esme then suggested I might like to help her to prepare some food for the wolves when they returned. I joined Esme on her walk to the kitchen and we discussed what to prepare. My head was simultaneously processing several things: the contents of the food cupboards from earlier on, memories of our extended kissing sessions, Alice chattering to Jasper behind me, Esme's muttering to herself as she moved from cupboard to cupboard, and then the lure of the musk from Edward's still slightly overheated body.

Edward followed us and perched on the worktop nearest the door, watching proceedings with interest. He was smiling to himself almost as if he could read my thoughts and his eyes followed me as I moved about.

Alice had claimed Renesmee once more and Jasper stayed with them to amuse them in the living room. I could see as he watched on in some amusement as Alice showed Renesmee her new playthings, rolling his eyes in good humour at the contentment both radiated.

With it being an overcast day, Esme and I opted to make a beef casserole and so set about preparing the meal in a flurry of chopping boards, vegetables, meat, sauce and herbs. Edward deftly juggled with some onions before I snatched them from him, duly diced them in record time and added them to the slow cooker pot. _How d'ya like them onions eh? _I threw a smile at him.

Edward watched me with bemused interest. I could see he was wondering if my prior clumsiness in the kitchen had migrated to my newborn life. He wavered slightly as I wielded the knife, but he seemed gratified that all the vegetables were cut and dealt with, thankfully without incident. _I can really do this if I focus....._Esme dealt with the raw meat and kept it as far away from me as reasonably possible in the confines of the kitchen. I felt the tightening at the back of my throat but wasn't overwhelmed by it.

On the other hand, working in the kitchen did have other challenges. Each time I passed by Edward for an ingredient, he would reach out and snatch a kiss or a hug. Esme almost exploded with happiness at seeing the fond gestures and at Edward's slight playfulness towards me. She knew he worried endlessly, as they all did, about keeping me out of harm's way and avoiding potentially awkward situations – as with the shopping trip that morning – but Esme was beaming with pleasure at seeing Edward so relaxed and in easy-going mood.

With the onions taken out of his reach, he moved on to juggling apples from the fruit bowl until Esme got fed up with it and revealed a dazzling talent in knife-wielding, cutting the apples faultlessly in mid-air as they fell toward the large bowl that she had magically brought to bear. _Oh my goodness, did she really just do that? _Edward and I looked at each other in stunned silence.

"Fruit salad for later" was all she said, covering the diced apple with citrus juice to stop it from browning. "a bit of lemon will be refreshing to the boys and teach them I'm not always so sweet" she muttered. "On the other hand, maybe I'll do a crumble for them later".

Once the meal preparation was concluded, Esme paused to give me a hug of thanks for my assistance, and also for encouragement. I gladly reciprocated, my face open and happy, radiating fulfillment in having done something else so simple and productive. I was also glad to give Esme a hug just for being Esme: I adored her.

Edward teased "All this earth-mother effort for a meal that will last approximately 2 minutes with Seth and Jacob's appetites!" Esme scoffed at the mild insult. "Well they deserve it for all they've done for us".

The slow cooker was set to quietly melt the meat into tenderness over the next 8 hours or so on a very low setting. The boys would undoubtedly run a patrol after the storytelling get-together and come in ravenous during the early hours of the morning. The casserole could sit quite happily until they were ready to eat. Esme took out a couple of loaves from the freezer to set aside for them to mop up the juices and declared herself happy the task was done, although she joked she didn't need Alice to foresee it would be like feeding time at the zoo when the boys descended on the house to eat.

When we all went through to the living room, I noticed that Renesmee was fighting sleep, despite Alice's best efforts at distracting her with her new toys. Edward suggested it might be nice for us to slip upstairs to his old room and put Renesmee down for a nap. Alice wordlessly handed Renesmee over to me. Edward and I headed upstairs hand in hand, looking forward to some alone time with our daughter again.

By the time we reached the bedroom, Renesmee was already drifting, her face relaxed and her rosebud mouth twitching now and then. Edward and I held each of her hands up to our faces and together watched her dreams of colours weaving their sleepy spells through her mind. It was an intense and private moment for us, bonding further with our daughter and sharing another magic moment in our new lives. We stood like that for a while until the colours faded and Renesmee went into a deeper sleep.

With a sigh, I gently popped her into the middle of the large bed and tucked her up under the covers. I then lay down beside her. Edward did the same on the other side of her. We propped ourselves up on the large bank of pillows, heads touching, arms nestled around Renesmee.

In a previous life, we'd have drifted off to sleep ourselves. However, it was enough for us to just lie on the bed, listening to Renesmee's even breathing, occasional yawn or movement, staying still and silent apart from an occasional kiss and caress. We were purrfectly content and relishing the peace the naptime brought and also treasuring the bliss of it. Another gorgeous memory for our treasure-chest.

"How can we go from lusting after one another this morning, to innocent peace and quiet with our daughter this afternoon?" I pondered out loud.

Edward took in a quiet breath and offered up his thoughts.

"It's all part of who we are, love. Both are important elements in our new lives. Each one is a separate part of us, but linked by our love for each other. She came out of our love. She has given us both peace and contentment. We are both fulfilled because of her and each other."

I looked at Edward and saw such wisdom in his eyes. My mate was a beautiful soul inside and out and I offered up thanks once again for our deep connection. I kissed Edward softly and rested my forehead against his, looking down at Renesmee and marvelling at how the chaos of her birth had changed so dramatically to the tranquillity of where we now were.

Renesmee slept on.

**A/N: The moral is: count your blessings.  
**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind. Special thanks also go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	14. Meadow Sweet

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. Respect and grateful thanks to you!**

**Warning: More lemons in this one. I'm going organic lemons again this time, due to location. No pesticides were used in the pleasuring of our couple.**

**Dedication: **for Darlene – how could I resist lol? Hope you like it!

**Music vibe:** Pink Floyd - Grantchester Meadows. Peace & love, man!

**CHAPTER 14: MEADOW SWEET**

It was late afternoon when Edward and I were heading back towards the house at Forks after a session of hunting. We had run quite a few miles into the forests of the Peninsula. We hadn't encountered any hikers thankfully, although Alice had kindly told us that we should be safe for an outing of couple of hours. The thought of running across the trail of an adventurous hiker was not one I relished, even though I did seem to be showing some superhuman restraint at times where the smell of human blood was concerned.

Our bloodlust had been satisfied by some deer and we were feeling quite relaxed. Of course, my clothing left alot to be desired as I had not mastered the art of neat hunting yet. Deer was not our first choice of meal, but it was still filling. At least they were plentiful in these parts. Edward was following the routine of making me feed little and often, to keep my cravings down as much as possible. Although he was taking care to keep me away from human contact, we never knew when we might encounter a situation that would challenge my self-control.

I was looking ahead to our return to the house and more cuddle-time with Renesmee, when Edward startled me by grabbing my arm and swinging me onto his back, just like old times. He was taking us on a detour. I cuddled into him as we ascended an incline at speed, belatedly realising he was taking us to a familiar place: one which held mixed memories for me.

He was taking us to our meadow, the place where he had memorably shown himself in sunlight for the first time and also apparently debated what he should do regarding his growing attraction to me. It also marked the day of our first cuddle and kiss which had cemented my own attraction to him in a way I could barely believe, considering how I felt about him now. I was only glad that my sense of self-preservation had been lacking that day, otherwise I might not have had my soulmate with me.

Although the exact detail of that day was slightly dimmed when compared to my new vampire recall, it was nonetheless etched in my mind forever – the two most memorable steps in our courtship had taken place that day. It had been a sublime day and one which I still treasured dearly. I'd had more than a good helping of luck that day.

My second visit to the meadow had been less inspiring and a whole lot more frightening. Again, etched in my memory for different reasons: the chance meeting with Laurent and my first sighting of the wolves. Looking back on it, it had been an end and a new beginning, a danger removed and the chance for more magic to enter my slightly deranged life.

My third visit to the meadow had been after Edward proposed and I'd agreed to marry him, also giving in to Alice's demands about the wedding preparations and feeling slightly overwhelmed with the daunting path that lay ahead when it came to my transformation. My memory of that particular day was marked with love and passion restrained – the day that Edward was prepared to cross his own self-imposed boundaries but which ironically clarified for me how we should proceed in the lead up to our wedding and beyond. My vampire mind now recalled how suddenly clear things had become on how I might best leave the human world gracefully. In the event, my leaving of it was less than graceful, but at least I'd had the opportunity say goodbye to my human friends and family on my own terms.

So the meadow represented love, fear and change of heart to me. All of these things flickered through my mind in an instant as we approached the clearing.

Edward dropped me to my feet, turning round to clasp both of my hands in his. He started walking backwards, leading me into the meadow. His face had lit up, presumably at his own memories of the place, since they were only good ones for him with me.

"Remember our first time here?" he asked teasingly.

"How could I forget? Thought I'd never take my eyes off the sparkle of your skin. It was simply stunning. It felt like seeing a unicorn – so magical that if I shut my eyes, I felt sure you'd be gone in an instant."

Edward smiled. "I felt the same about you. Your trust in me was heartbreaking and I couldn't quite believe you were real. It was like I had dreamed you up after so many years in the emotional wilderness. There you were, my goddess of the meadow. I was terrified to stay, terrified to leave, in case I let us both down at the first hurdle."

We walked further into the clearing – or rather Edward tugged me steadily away from the trees, still smiling broadly. I looked around me and saw that the meadow had changed again. The lushness of the greenery was a little jaded now and the summer flowers present in July had faded, giving over to more rampant almost fallow growth. There was still birdsong ringing through the trees, water babbling from the nearby stream, and bees were still buzzing around lazily, sucking up the last nectars of the remaining plants. The open clear air contrasted with the heavier still air of the pine trees and bracken around the perimeter.

It was an unusually warm day for September in Washington State. A sense of serenity still pervaded the woodland and a light breeze dipped down and rustled its way through the grasses which had grown long over the weeks since our last visit. The echoes of summer were still here, glistening and sparkling like our vampire skin. We could hear occasional hammering of woodpeckers in the woodland, and the raucous noise and flap of gamebirds as they strutted through the undergrowth. A purrfect afternoon for a lovers' tryst.

When we'd reached roughly the middle of the meadow, Edward suddenly dropped down onto the grass, pulling me on top of him. We kissed ardently but languidly as we rolled around for a bit, kicking off our boots, coming to rest on a bed of wild lemon balm, crushing it beneath us. Edward's honey scent mixed with the lemony scent for a heady mix redolent of warm winter drinks in front of the fire, wrapped up in a comforter – completely at odds with a bright warm day in the open air.

"Want to get naked and roll around in the grass?" asked Edward, with a cheeky grin on his face. "I want to see your skin sparkle in the sunshine. It's been ages since the honeymoon!"

"Aren't we asking to be stumbled upon by curious wolves or family? I mused, holding Edward's face between my hands, kissing him hard for a moment.

"Oh we'll be miles from here by the time any nosey wildlife comes sniffing by. Built in radar, remember?" he laughed, tapping his head, bringing to mind the time he'd said that in the car when I'd asked him to slow down to below 100mph.

"Not if you get distracted, we won't" I retorted. "You can get quite noisy outdoors Mr Cullen!"

"Well, we'll have to see about that won't we, Mrs Cullen?" he commented and duly proceeded to unbutton my shirt – well actually it was another of his shirts that I'd pinched from the wardrobe that morning, much to Alice's disgust.

I was reminded that I needed to persuade her I liked wearing items with Edward's scent on and for that reason wanted us to be able to wear stuff more than once. It would take time to wean her off her penchant for disposing of almost new items, even supposing they survived 24 hours intact if Edward was enthusiastic about removing them from me. Which seemed to be often.

In the time those thoughts had gone through my head, Edward had made headway with undressing me. My shirt was now firmly away from my body, revealing the satin camisole top I wore underneath. I was not wearing a bra, which was evidenced by my nipples peaking through the satin. Edward's face was a picture of delight at this discovery – although I didn't know why, given his familiarity with that part of my anatomy already. _Men are easy to please..... yes Edward, they're the same ones I had yesterday.....mmmm ooh lala!  
_

Edward had licked his lips unconsciously and then breathed through the satin, making contact with his mouth and sucking the material lightly around the now awakened tips of my breasts. He moaned gently, the vibrations making me tremble slightly and reaching my groin in an instant. He moved the satin from side to side across my breasts gently, the friction making them peak a little harder. The feeling was electric and we had barely got going yet. _Mmmm delicious.....that is so damned erotic..._

Edward kissed me on the lips and then slowly took off the camisole, leaving my top half open to the elements and his gaze. He looked at me as if it were the first time and expelled a huff of relief, like he'd been holding his breath. "You're so beautiful." He murmured. "You have the most exquisite breasts. I could worship them for hours". _Don't let me stop you sweetheart...._

"Well they're all yours, but leave some for tomorrow won't you." I gently chided him, making an involuntary gasp.

Edward had attacked each breast in turn, nipping and sucking, edging around the brown buttons of them with his tongue as I squirmed in delight and torment in equal measures. He kept me pinned to the ground so he could worship at leisure until I was finally begging him to stop. His dirty chuckle hit me right in the groin, adding to the sensations that were already making themselves known down there from his attentions.

"Edward, will you take your shirt off please? I want to look at you too."

He raised himself onto his knees and complied swiftly, shrugging the shirt off to reveal his flat stomach, his glorious six-pack and the sexy V which pointed towards the promise sheathed inside his jeans. He had just the right amount of hair on his body, not too much, not too little. I eyed the sensual dark line of hair disappearing behind his waistband like an arrow pointing towards bliss. _Oh boy, I can't wait to see him aroused in the sunlight._

I groaned at my purrfectly sculpted husband. _How did I get so lucky? How could he ever think I'm a good match for him? What does he see in me?_

Before I could think anything else, Edward had leaned forwarded and plunged his tongue into my mouth, sucking on me and making me groan again.

"I love how you look at me, Bella. You make me feel so sexy. I can't help but want you." he muttered huskily.

"You really don't know how beautiful you are, Edward. I could cry at how devastatingly handsome you are. You were born to be a model. As a human I was perpetually bewildered that you chose to keep me company. There I was, all two left feet and nursing stupid injuries most weeks. There you were looking like you'd stepped straight out of a Calvin Klein advert!"

My mind went back to how I'd gawked at Edward all the times he'd appeared at my door when I was grounded. Every time was my own personal miracle, for which I was hugely thankful.

"Utter rubbish! I was the one whose breath was taken away by you. I could've melted into your eyes. It wasn't just your blood that sang to me." he breathed into my ear and traced the edges of my face and chin with his tongue. My skin was alive with his touch.

"Yeah I bet you just love my eyes right now!" I joked, knowing they would continue to be a startling red for some weeks to come. I shut them for the moment and gloried in Edward's tongue worship, basking in the heat from the sunshine and Edward's musky honey-lilac scent.

Edward sighed and sat back up on his knees. With the sun behind him, skin glinting, he looked just like an angel with a halo. _My own angel, hopefully about to bestow his own miracle on me. I want to freeze frame this moment. He's just divine._

Edward of course had no idea what I was thinking at that moment but took advantage of my dazzlement to undo and gently pull down my jeans, leaving me in only my lacy undies. As Edward was taking his time undressing me, I was pleased that at least I'd have some wearable clothes after our romp.

"I really must thank Alice for upgrading your wardrobe." said Edward appreciatively. "I'm looking forward to what else you'll be teasing me with."

"Well it beats baggy Bridget Jones underwear although all the lace still scares the hell out of me!" I giggled, a little embarrassed.

"You must know by now Bella that there is something about lace which connects directly to a man's cock! It really is a most welcome sight, but unfortunately these beauties are in my way".

Edward proceeded to pull my lacey protection down with his teeth, grazing my skin lightly as he went, sometimes using his tongue to emphasise just how much he was looking forward to getting me completely naked. Again.

I huffed a sigh of contentment as Edward's eyes gleamed with anticipation of getting me just where he wanted me and of what was coming in the next while. I reached out a hand to caress his face as he came back up to meet me, having discarded my underwear to one side.

I relished the feel of the breeze around my nakedness. The sun warmed my body and I shuddered with anticipation of what Edward might have in store. My eyes drank in his sparkly body and the tightening of his arm muscles as he leaned on them, moving forward over me to give me another deep kiss. I slowly rubbed my hands up and down his upper arms, revelling in his smooth lean shape. _So handsome....so strong...._

Edward cradled the back of my neck, arching my throat so he could kiss it, moving down to his favourite spot at the dip, then on to my collarbone. He grazed his hand up and down my body as he did so. My skin came alive at his touch and, closing my eyes, I gave myself over to the sensations. _Such a gentle touch......mmmmmmm oh oh that's nice......oh more please........_

I felt a breeze of movement beside me and on opening my eyes again, I realised that Edward was now naked like me. He was still kneeling but very much interested in touching me – his body blatantly revealing just how much he was enjoying himself. _Well there's no hiding that little beauty....._

Edward continued to caress my body up and down, lightly kissing it in places as his lips passed over me – the inner thigh all the way down to the arches of my feet, up over the outside of my legs, over my hip all the way to my breast and down the other side. All the while, he did not say a word. He did not go near my mound either, leaving me wanting more of his touch, anticipating his arrival down there. _Gah!_

I could only groan and arch my back in pleasure as his touch passed over me. Whenever he swung near my face, he would kiss me deeply and slowly, building up to the sweet gift he would be giving me soon. His fingers grazed over my chest and stomach, leaving burning trails behind them.

Eventually, I could take his caress no more and ghosted to a kneeling position in an instant. Facing him, I embraced him, pushing myself into his chest and kissing him back as ardently as he had kissed me earlier. I tongued him along his jawline and down his neck, pulling a deep groan from him. He loved this as much as I did. I sucked deeply on his neck, leaving no mark, but inducing some heavy breathing on his part. I put my hand on his shaft, which was standing proudly upright. I gently stroked and teased it, still kissing his neck, working my way round to his other side. His hand clutched my back, pressing me closer to him. I bent down to kiss his cock, tonguing it a little as he moaned and convulsed slightly at my touch.

_No time like the present. _

I pushed Edward firmly onto his back and climbed aboard, sinking straight onto his length and moaning with the pleasure of joining with him at last. This was heavenly. Setting a leisurely pace, I moved over him, revelling in the depth of the strokes and how beautifully he touched me where it mattered. His shaft went nice and deep, touching that sweet spot which gave that extra delicious twinge when grazing over it steadily. Each movement became more intense. Each response and twinge was better than the last.

Edward lay under me breathing heavily, eyes closed in what I hoped was pure pleasure.

"Does that feel good, my love?" I purred, swooping down to give him a kiss.

"Oh god does it ever. Keep doing what you're doing!" Edward was gripping my hips, helping me keep the momentum going.

I leaned back slightly and drove him into me even deeper, not quite believing he would not damage me, but at the same instant, wanting more of him and to pump harder on him. I didn't want it to be animalistic; I wanted it to be beautiful and measured. I wanted to draw him into me and take all he had to give. I wanted to love him and make him feel so good that he would come back for more. I wanted so much more of this.

Each time we'd made love, I'd thought it couldn't get any better as he brought out newer and fresher sensations in me. We could be animal, we could be gentle. I loved it. Right now, in this meadow, it was right to be gentle.

I wondered briefly what a human might think if they ever stumbled upon us, making out to silent music, sparkling like diamonds in the sunshine, looking for all the world like creatures from another world. It was glorious and at that moment, I didn't rightly care who might stumble upon us.

Edward was responding to my rhythm and going with me. He made little sounds in his throat. His strength enabled him to place himself where it pleased him most and also give me the ride of my life. He would caress my breasts and then move his hands back to my hips. He had seen I was being carried away by the bliss of the rhythm and was happy to go at my pace until then. I knew it couldn't last because he was, after all, in the body of a 17 year old, and an impatient one at that sometimes!

Edward started to moan and buck more as his instincts started to ramp things up. He pulled me down for a deep kiss that pinned me on his tongue and with a firm flick of his hands, he lifted me off his straining erection. He rolled us over and swiftly re-positioned himself. His eyes were dark with lust and I could see he wanted to taste me as well as bury himself in me again. My legs went around him and he plunged in, sighing deeply as he did so. That was such an erotic sound and one I hoped never to tire of. He was home, my boy was home.

His arms had snaked under my shoulders and he clutched my head to his cheek. He sucked on my earlobe and muttered earthy words in my ear. His groans of pleasure drove us on and I found myself clinging to him like a life-raft. Hands in his hair, I urged him on as I sensed him not wanting to let go until I was ready too. Above all for me in this moment, this time was for him. I wanted his climax above all else.

"That's right Edward, fill me up, let it go, pump it into me" I whispered in his ear. His immediate response was to let go a cry of relief as he climaxed. He shuddered his way gradually to a halt and relaxed over me as his erection ebbed and he groaned at the pleasure of how it made him feel.

"I'm sorry love, I wanted you to come too. You know I love it when you do".

"Hey, I wanted your climax above mine. I love it when I can feel you release into me like that. Sometimes I get so carried away, I miss that little bit of heaven right there. I just wanted to feel your moment and take you into me." I kissed his cheek. "The old Bella would have died rather than say this, but it turns me on so much to feel you twitch like that. In fact, I'm feeling mighty fine right now."

"Well I can't help but be turned on by you too. You drive me wild!" With that, Edward dipped his middle finger into my folds and gently rubbed. I was so ready for that touch, any touch, it didn't take me long to clamp down on his finger and let go with my own climax. He held me tight against him as I bucked under him, riding it out, juices flowing over his hand into the ground. _Aaaaaghh......_

We cuddled each other for a long time, until we were ready to move again and get dressed. Edward hummed quietly to himself and kept smiling as he pulled his jeans on and sorted himself out. As I re-buttoned my shirt, I couldn't help smiling at his happiness. This was what I'd fought for all that time to achieve. It tickled me pink that he was content at this moment after the simple pleasure of love-making. I sighed deeply, happy in the knowledge that he loved me, even with crimson eyes and a precariously-controlled bloodlust.

Edward looked up at me and grinned again. He stepped back a few yards, tugging something from the ground. He trotted towards me and I realised he was grasping a handful of huge purple-flowered thistles which he then proceeded to swat at me with.

"Good job we didn't roll around on these!" he chuckled, chasing me out of the meadow into the trees, trying to land his prickly weapon on the bullseye of my backside. Our laughter rang through the trees as we headed for home, racing each other in a blur of impishly delighted squeals and curses. _Thistles? I'll get him back for that one!_

- * -

**A/N: Yeah, that's the meadow fantasy done and dusted. So much Edward and so little time. Lots of lemon balm, plenty of sparklelust.  
**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. Special thanks also go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria and Totteacher who have been very supportive and hugely patient with me. Check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented. ****  
**


	15. Satisfaction

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Warning: A bit of lemon tart!!**

**Dedication: **For wonderful Loops, who makes us laugh and is an earthbound spirit with a laconic sense of humour. I think you're much deeper than many of us give you credit for!

**Music vibe:** Something far out there and other-worldly – Ian Astbury's sublime track with the Cult – "She Sells Sanctuary". I think he sounds weirdly kinky and it fits my vibe here.

**CHAPTER 15 : SATISFACTION**

**BPOV:**

"Aww come on Bella, what did you do that for? Let me up, you little minx!"

Edward yelled from the bed while I stood giggling at the doorway, arms folded, watching him with amusement and interest.

"Nope!"

_Wow, he looks really sexy like that. I'm looking forward to the next hour or two. He's got no idea what's going to hit him!_

"Pleeeeeease!"

"Nope - not a chance!"

Edward looked despairingly at me with cow eyes from his prone position on the bed, where he lay spread-eagled, dressed only in his boxer shorts.

I'd managed to pull a fast one on him – literally.

Alice was indeed a witch. She'd secured some super-strength titanium handcuffs on the internet and had surprised me with them after we'd returned to the house yesterday, laughing excitedly after our sexy interlude in the meadow and the run home through the trees with Edward chasing me teasingly, laughing all the way. He never had caught me up properly with those thistles, thank goodness.

I chuckled to myself at how the rest of the afternoon had gone.

We'd burst through the front door of the main house to find Alice sitting demurely on the couch reading a fashion magazine. Her face lit up the moment she saw us. She patted the seat next to her, looking at me with the invitation. I went and sat beside her, towing Edward behind me. I looked around for Renesmee but Edward whispered to me that Esme had taken her for a walk in the wood.

Jasper picked that moment to suggest a game of touch football. Emmett was stood by the door already twirling and lightly throwing a ball.

Alice declined to join the game and motioned that she wanted to chat to me for a bit, so that left Rosalie to make up the numbers. Rosalie could play as hard as any jock and she was well matched against Edward. I imagined there would be plenty of damage outside and bad language too judging by the last knockabout game.

Edward gave me a kiss and went to join his brothers and Rosalie. They all clattered outside and when they'd vacated the house, Alice breathed a sigh of relief, commenting it was nice to have some peace and quiet of sorts for a while.

"So what did you want to talk to me about then Alice" I queried, knowing she had something up her sleeve she probably didn't want Edward to know about.

"I've been trying to hide this from Edward and am trying to block his thoughts even now. Jaz promised to distract him as much as possible, so I could talk to you"

_Hmmm this sounds ominous_.

"Ok, so what gives?" I asked tentatively, pulling my feet up on to the couch and sitting cross-legged, waiting for the punchline.

"Well, Jaz and I wanted to give you something that will spice up your sex life a little."

I looked down at my hands in my lap, a bit embarrassed at that surprise statement.

Alice paused and looked at me.

"Look - I know you and Edward are doing fine even though it's all quite new to you – by the way, the tree location was inspired and we can't wait to try it too!" she giggled, pausing momentarily to imagine herself and Jasper doing some tree climbing of their own.

"Enough already, Alice. I can't talk to you about our sex life – it's not fair on Edward".

"Look I'm not trying to embarrass you, honestly. All we wanted to do was add a little fun, give you an idea for the future. Trust me."

Alice then turned to a plain carrier bag that was stood at her feet. She reached inside it and brought out a package, which she handed to me.

I unwrapped the crepe paper and was mortified to reveal not one, but four pairs of shiny metal handcuffs. I instantly bundled them back into the paper and handed them back to Alice, gaping in shock and feeling anxious all at the same time.

"Honestly Alice, how could you? I'm mortified you'd suggest such things!"

With that I stalked upstairs and out of habit headed for Edward's old bedroom. I entered the room and slammed the door behind me.

Naturally Alice couldn't leave it be. She followed me into the room.

"Oh Bella, don't be like that. There's nothing shameful in spicing things up a bit. After all, you're going to have an eternity of possible scenarios".

"Alice, I can barely get my head around the lacy bits of underwear you insist on buying me, let alone indulging in scenes of bondage this early in our marriage!"

I stalked to the window and stared out into the trees beyond. I was seething with indignation at Alice's temerity and her implication that Edward and I needed assistance with our sex life already.

I loved her like a sister but sometimes she could be a bit too pushy. If she pushed me too far on this, I would not hesitate to let her have it with both barrels.

"Look Bella, it's not a criticism. It's merely a suggestion for what else you might try in the bedroom while you're still a newborn and can use your strength to your advantage in certain, shall we say, interesting situations."

I mused on that for a moment. "Point taken. So you're telling me that you and Jasper have used these things?"

"Oh yes!" confirmed Alice, her eyes going slightly dreamy for a second. "Jaz and I often role-play. He's partial to my dominatrix outfit when we can get the house to ourselves".

The image of a saucy Alice strutting her stuff around a compliant Jasper filled my head. _No, I don't want to go there....._I moaned and shook my head, trying to dispel the image.

"Look, Alice, I love you but will you quit interfering? I know you mean well, but sometimes you go too far."

"Oh, that's a shame" she replied quietly, "I suppose you won't want to know what else I've got in this bag then......" her voice trailed off and she let the rhetorical statement hang there.

I remained by the window, determinedly looking outside, wondering how the game of touch football was going and whether Edward might rescue me from this embarrassing experience. However, they were playing round at the front, so I couldn't see them from this window and attract his attention. I could however hear shouts of laughter and some vague insults being bandied about.

I sighed deeply and turned around to face Alice. She was sat on the bed with a slightly sheepish expression on her face.

"Ok, I'll bite." I sighed, "show me what else you've got in there."

"Ooh excellent!" she squeaked, clapping her hands excitedly. "That's my girl!"

I went and sat beside Alice on the bed - the vast bed that Edward had so thoughtfully provided before we'd got married. I glanced round at it fondly, remembering the occasions we'd made out on it fairly chastely, much to my frustration. In that moment, I realised how strong my sexual levels had been, even back then.

"Ok Alice, I'm ready. Lay it on me." _Here goes nothing....she can't show me anything worse than the handcuffs...._

Alice produced the same crepe package I'd handled earlier. She held a hand up to stop the inevitable grumble that was on my lips.

"Right, these are made from reinforced metal – titanium. They're made by vampires for vampires." She held up a pair of the cuffs so I could see them in all their glory. She showed me the mechanism and the release catch. "See – easy and safe. Only Edward won't be able to get to the release if you get his hands first."

_Yeah, right, like that's ever going to happen._

"Your bed at the cottage is reinforced too, honey – made especially for vampires!"

"Oh! I didn't know that." I swallowed another shocked look. _Just call me guppy features. Is sex all vampires ever think about?_

"Well I was waiting for the right time to tell you. Esme couldn't bring herself to do it so I said I would." She smiled brightly at this comment and I couldn't help but smirk too, saving Esme's blushes, so to speak.

"Does Edward know about this?" I asked, intrigued.

"No actually, he doesn't! He thinks the bed is the twin of the one he ruined on Esme's Island. After a suggestion from Emmett, Esme and I decided it would be our special little gift to you."

I groaned at this piece of news. So Emmett was in on it too?

Next, Alice produced from her bag of goodies another crepe-wrapped item. It was slender and a modest weight. _God Alice, tell me this isn't what I think it is. _ Alice produced another package beside it. Yes, batteries!

I just looked at her wordlessly. Alice giggled at my expression. "I know you're not a prude Bella. Trust me, Edward will love you for this."

She unwrapped the main item for me and revealed a silver vibrator, only a few inches long, which looked astoundingly like an elongated silver bullet. It wasn't sculpted like what I'd imagined it would mimic. I stared at it in fascination. _Is it big enough to do the job?_

"It's known as a Lipstick Vibrator" she said, knowingly.

"A what?" _oh goodness, dare I ask?_

With one movement, Alice unscrewed the vibrator top to reveal a simulation lipstick inside it. "Just the thing for getting past airport scanners!" she joked.

I clapped my hands to my eyes. _Oh no! What have I got myself into?_

"Have you ever used one before?" Alice then asked of me. "Sorry to ask, but I want you to be confident with this".

"Yes Alice, I know how they work." Then a thought occurred to me. "Don't tell me - Jasper loves these too?" I moaned, wondering how on earth I'd ever look him in the face again.

"Oh yes darling, we have several he uses on me when we want some extended play"

Alice smiled happily at this statement. She surprised me at how unbashful she was. She and Jaz didn't wantonly display their sexual affection for each other in public, obviously preferring to ramp it up behind closed doors. I'd be looking at Jasper with new-found respect in future, even if I would not be able to look him in the eye so much!

Alice continued with her show and tell: "Ok, put the battery in like so. Switch it on like so. And away you go! Fun fun fun til her daddy takes the Tbird away...." she warbled in her clear-as-a-bell voice, teasing me with the idea.

My sensibilities jolted a bit at the sound of the buzzing silver toy. Alice swiftly took my hand and popped the thing into my palm. I dropped it instantly. This was all too much. _No no no no! I can't do this!_

Alice retrieved the vibrator which was dancing on the carpet crazily. She switched it off and popped it back in the bag, pulling something else out.

"And now for the piéce de résistance! Le voilà!" sang Alice as she unveiled a teensy piece of lacy corsetry, all put together in the shape of a basque.

"Oh now you've got to be kidding me, Alice". I stood up from the bed and marched back over to the window, folding my arms, scowling at her intently.

"Oh no I'm not! Trust me – Edward will REALLY love this". Alice's eyes sparkled merrily at my expression. She wasn't going to let me get out of here alive. My mind was reeling with the onslaught of all this proposed fun.

Alice stood up and took a deep breath. What she said next stunned me.

"Ok Bella, be a good girl and try this on for me. I'm going to show you how to strut your stuff in it and really make Edward's day!"

- * -

**A/N: Fulfilling a request here from a loyal supporter of my stories. You know who you are! This is Part 1 of 2...**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind. Special thanks also go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	16. SugarCane

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Warning: A zesty lemony dish – full of fruit, skin on and skin off, lemons warmed over sizzling heat to melting point, with some added sugary goodness!**

**Dedication: **For FraggleNic

**Music vibe:** For songs about sex – one man does it all: Prince! "Soft and Wet" here. I rest my case :D

**CHAPTER 16 : SUGARCANE**

**BPOV:**

"_Aww come on Bella, what did you do that for? Let me up, you little minx!"_

_Edward yelled from the bed while I stood giggling at the doorway, arms folded, watching him with amusement and interest._

"_Nope!"_

_"Pleeeeeease!"_

"_Nope - not a chance!"_

_Edward looked despairingly at me with cow eyes from his prone position on the bed, where he lay spread-eagled, dressed only in his boxer shorts._

- * -

Edward struggled against his restraints for a short while, looking up at his arms and then back at me as I watched him with bated breath. I felt sure that if he tried really hard, he'd break the bed in his efforts to release himself.

How I'd managed to restrain him in the first place had been a miracle. Alice had given me some tips yesterday, saying that my newborn speed and strength were my best allies, as was the fact he couldn't read my mind.

Edward had been completely duped and I felt quite pleased with myself that I'd overcome the first hurdle by ghosting around the bed at top speed. He'd evidently not noticed the cuffs were already in place around the bedposts, just needing to be secured around his limbs.

So here was my gorgeous Edward at my mercy on the bed, agitated and wild-eyed with worry. It was a beautiful sight.

I sauntered over to the bed and leaned over Edward's chest, stooping to give him a kiss. I put a palm against his chest and crooned "Don't worry, husband, I've got a little surprise for you".

"I think I've had enough surprises for today, don't you?" he breathed, eyes casting about in agitation.

I held his jaw still firmly with my hand and licked a wet trail up his cheek, plonking a kiss on his nose and saying "Stay there, lover. I'll only be a sec". As I pulled back, I raked my fingers down his chest. Edward lunged his face towards mine, but I'd been anticipating this and ducked out of the way a fraction before his teeth snapped in the space where I'd just been.

I waved a finger at him haughtily. "Naughty Edward!"

He huffed a sigh and rolled his eyes, struggling again against his cuffs.

"I've got something over here I think you'll like" I said as sultrily as I could, given my lack of practice. I stood for a moment with my back to him and wiggled my backside. Throwing him a look over my shoulder, I said as saucily as I could muster, "Don't move a muscle, I think you'll like what I've got to show you"

"I've got something here for you too if you stick around, Bella" replied Edward, cocking an eyebrow at me.

"Don't promise what you can't deliver...............yet!" I shot back at him, giggling. With that comment, I swooped into the closet room and closed the doors behind me, taking a deep breath to calm myself.

_Oh god I hope he stays put and doesn't wreck the bed. Now how the heck do I get into this thing?......_

I wriggled myself into the basque and adjusted my cleavage, arranging things comfortably, sort of. _Deep breaths.....how do I look? mirror?..... oh my good god I can't do this........that is scary! .......Red eyes and oceans of lace, what a combination........lacy pull-ups.....ok......shoes or no shoes?........oh crap I'll fall over if I wear those things Alice gave me..........ok that'll have to do......let's not give it to him all at once or we won't both survive........._

I took another deep breath to focus. Cracking open the closet door, I stretched a lace-clad leg out through the gap. I peeped around the door and gazed as steadily as I could at Edward who was still lying helplessly on the bed.

_Phew! He's still in the cuffs. Thank goodness for that._

His face was a picture. His eyes came out on stalks as his gaze took in my lacy pull-up stockings, my pale pink and black lacy basque, all ribbons and bows in the right places, shaping me and making an inexperienced 18 year old as alluring as she could be in the circumstances. _Smoke and mirrors, Bella. That's what Alice said._

I smiled as demurely as I could, hand on one hip, leaning against the door with my arm extended up it.

"Do you like what you see, Edward?" I whispered huskily at him, fixing him with a sexy look.

"Oh Edward likes very much!" he breathed, his eyes darkening as I just stood there letting him take in the sight of me for a minute or two longer.

I moved slowly towards him, smiling and holding his gaze. He groaned and shut his eyes for a moment, tipping his head back as the first wave of lust washed over him. I could see the corner of his mouth crinkle slightly and wished I could know what he was thinking right at that moment.

_Come on girl, you can do this. Don't let Alice down! Remember what she said: Edward loves you like crazy and will love whatever you do.  
_

As I reached the bed, I coiled myself slowly around one of the corner posts and tipped my head upside down. I twisted round and leaned back over the bed, extending a leg out and holding what I hoped was a sexy pose. _I'm no poledancer but this will have to do...._

"Still like what you see, Edward?" I asked of him, looking at him from my reclined position, thanking my strong new limbs for not collapsing under me.

"Oh my god yes......" he breathed hard and kept gazing at me, moistening his lips.

I flipped around and slowly walked up the side of the bed, running a hand up his leg, lightly fingering his boxer shorts as if to go inside them. He watched me intently and hitched a breath at that point, but I didn't do anything except slowly trail my hand up to his chest.

Licking my middle finger, I then rubbed it over his nipple. Edward groaned at that and threw his head back. "Jeez Bella...." His body stiffened and I noted signs of life inside his boxer shorts. _Oh good, this is working....._

I dropped a kiss onto his mouth and then sauntered around the edge of the bed and repeated my caresses up the other side of him. He groaned again, this time a little louder.

"Can you imagine what I'm going to do to you Edward?"

"I don't care what you do to me," he answered and then nailed me with a look, "but remember that whatever you do to me, I'm going to give you back double when I'm out of these damned cuffs!"

"Hmmm that sounds good" I replied dreamily and kissed him deeply and languidly, again gripping his chin as I did so.

"Oh god Bella, give me a break. I'm dying here!" he groaned out when I released him from the kiss.

"Patience, Edward...." I cautioned and climbed slowly onto the bed, hoping I didn't fall over in the process. _I think I really could get into this with a little practice.......courage now Bella...._

I stood on the bed over Edward, hands on hips, and let him look up at me from the pillows. "Still like what you see?"

Edward merely nodded, eyes raking over me.

I dropped down to straddle his chest, pinning his shoulders down with my shins and pushing my groin forward so it was hovering by his face.

"Can you smell me Edward?"

Edward nodded again, licking his lips in anticipation of what I might ask him to do.

I shuffled forward slightly and pushed my groin right up to his nose and commanded "Smell deeply then! Suck it up!"

Edward complied with a groan. He buried his nose into the lace covering my mound where he could no doubt tell I was already aroused.

I debated about whether to make him tongue me or leave that for later.

"Look at me Edward" I commanded again. His eyes were darkest burnt gold, rimmed with black. He hungered for me - exactly what I was hoping. "You want to taste me?"

"Oh god yes" he murmured, straining his head forward.

"Well you can't............yet" I said, pushing his head back on the pillow and scooting myself back down his body.

He groaned with frustration. "Aww come on Bella..."

I leaned forward so he got a good eyeful of my cleavage area. As I did so, I dropped some kisses on his chest and then sucked on his nipples which hardened to my touch. His body quivered so I rubbed my lacy outfit over him slowly, scraping his skin which made him buck slightly. He let out a bellow of frustration which made me very happy.

_I must thank Alice and apologise for being so rude to her about this outfit yesterday. _

I rubbed my chest over his some more, then moved down a little further and brought my face to hover over Edward's boxer shorts. He held my gaze for a moment, his eyes heavy with desire, a pleading look in them too. I held his gaze and extended my tongue as far as it would go and licked the length of his shaft which I could feel through the fabric of his shorts.

"Aaaaagh shit Bella, you're killing me" he growled and rattled his cuffs again.

I smirked and took the waistband between my teeth, pulling as slowly as I could. They ripped of course, revealing his glorious hardness to me.

"Oh my, I think you're pleased to see me Edward". I hovered my mouth over his manhood and sniffed deeply. "Oh yes, he smells so good. I wonder if he'll drip for me?" I said, as if to myself. His scent nearly pushed me into a frenzy but I clamped down on this instinct, breathing deeply and concentrating. I still wanted to tease him a bit and of course I still had one more trick up my sleeve.

His shaft looked so tasty to me that I couldn't resist and so I took him into my mouth, nice and slowly, licking, nibbling, sucking the tip and blowing on him, then licking him a whole lot more. Edward hardened even further under my attentions and groaned over and over, literally curling his toes with pleasure. I raked what skin I could reach with my hands, adding to the sensory overload for him. I rubbed his cock with some lace. He twitched and moaned, uttering light curses as I worked him steadily. Going on instinct, I was really enjoying this foreplay.

I wanted to taste him, all of him. So I stayed on his cock, sucking and licking, moving up to his mouth now and then to kiss him deeply, taking his smell to him. I'd wave my chest in front of him so he could kiss it as it passed. Moving back down to his groin, it didn't take long before I could taste the liquid leaking from him in anticipation of his forthcoming release.

Now I wanted to go further and finish what I'd started in the shower a few days ago. I was ready now. His evident pleasure and the sweetness of his juice egged me on. I sucked him hard, easing as much of him into my mouth as I could without choking. _Practice makes purrfect Bella. You can do this. _I clamped my hands on what I couldn't fit in my mouth – _are all cocks this big? - _and held him tight as he rocked and panted under me until he gave a shout and spurted into my throat. _Oh my god, there's so much of it!_

"Oh Bella........" he mumbled, head thrown back as he convulsed in pleasure.

I swallowed every last drop - didn't want ANY of his sweet sugar going to waste. _Wow did I really just do that?_

When Edward stopped his spasms, he looked down at me in awe. "Oh Bella, that was fantastic but you didn't have to do it, love".

"Oh but I wanted to. Been dreaming of that since our first night here."

"Really?"

I beamed a smile at him and crawled up his body to lie on his chest. I kissed him and held his face between my hands.

"So you like my outfit then?" I queried, amused at what power a few bits of lace and ribbon could hold over my husband.

"If you let me out of these cuffs, I'll show you just how much I like it, sweetheart."

"Oh no.....I haven't finished with you yet, husband. I've got you exactly where I want you."

With that, I plunged my tongue into his mouth quite roughly and gave him the kiss of my life. Edward willingly responded and kissed me back just as hard. He growled his pleasure, which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. _Oh my goodness, he's not going to make it easy to hold off._

"Do you love me Edward?"

"You know I do." he breathed quietly.

"Well if you love me, don't struggle and just let me make you feel good some more"

"Some more? You're a glutton for punishment Mrs Cullen. You have hidden depths – they say the quiet ones are worst!"

"Oh yes, I have more tools in my hidden arsenal than you know..."

"Of that I have no doubt, Mrs Cullen" he smirked as he said that.

For a moment, the thought crossed my mind that he was up to something. His tone struck me as slightly smug. Anyway, I pushed that thought aside and kissed him again. Then I kissed his chin, his throat, his chest, his solar plexus, his belly, taking time to lick around his gorgeous bellybutton. I tongued him slowly downwards from there as, out of the corner of my eye, I could see signs of life stirring from his glorious cock, which I took in my hand and gently started stroking. Silky and smooth, it was growing steadily.

An impish thought crossed my mind so I climbed onto him, but facing away from him, so all he could see was my backside covered in lacy satiny fabric and the underside of me. _Feast your eyes on that Edward Cullen!!_

"Oh shit Bella, are you trying to drive me insane?"

His cock immediately strained upright which was a very pleasing sight indeed. _Atta boy Edward! _I chuckled inwardly and was giddy with pleasure at my new-found power.

I turned to smile wickedly at him and then reached into my cleavage, pulling out the lipstick vibrator Alice had given to me. _I can't believe I'm about to do this....._

I switched it on and waited for a reaction from Edward as the buzzing sound reached him. I only had to wait a nano-second for his cock to twitch with shock and a shudder of electricity to roll down his body as it reacted instinctively.

"What the hell....?" he blurted out, pulling on his restraints.

I palmed the buzzing toy and rubbed one of his inner thighs with it. He jumped like he'd been prodded with a taser!

"Holy shit Bella, what is that?" he cried out in a strangulated voice.

I rubbed his other thigh for good measure and turned round to smile at him wickedly again.

"Oh god no Bella, this is too much. I'll never control myself." His eyes pleaded at me, begging for mercy.

"That's what I'm hoping!" I giggled and let him have it right on his manhood, clamping him down with my legs so he couldn't move away. Edward bucked and shouted and threw curses at me that a certain British TV chef would have been proud of. _That's my boy. Not so pure now are you?_

I spun round over Edward and rubbed the vibrator up towards his chest, sitting on his throbbing manhood at first and then spreading the length of my body up over him so I ended up face to face with him. I smiled into his eyes which were gazing back wildly into mine.

"Liking it so far, my sweet?" I cooed at him.

"You have no idea..." he grunted back.

With that, Edward slipped out of his cuffs and wrapped his arms around me tightly, clamping me to his chest, whipping the vibrator out of my hand.

My face fell in shock!"Edward you rotten so-and-so!"

"So you thought you had me pinned there did you?"

"You rotten pig!" I smacked him lightly.

"Thought I'd let you have your fun. Loved every minute of it, my little minx! Now it's my turn.........remember what I said earlier...........?"

He jammed his tongue into my mouth and flipped us over, so he was on top of me this time. He put his hands on the side of my basque. "I love this, darling, but it's in my way I'm afraid".

With a tug, the ripping sounds told me it was beyond repair and I was laid there open to Edward's advances, wearing only my lacy hold-ups.

Edward rubbed his hands up and down my legs and then hitched them up so it was my turn to be prone under him. He buried his tongue inside me for a moment, moaned deeply and then slapped me right where it counted with that damned buzzing toy. I screamed with the intensity of it as he held it to me.

"You dirty rotten............." I screamed at him.

Laughing loudly, Edward tossed the toy aside and got on with the job of worshipping me with his manhood instead. I have to say it felt huge and fantastic!

As he thrust into me and I gasped with pleasure at each deep stroke, he growled "This is for the cuffs..... This is for the those damned vibrations. ..... This is for teasing me with your mouth ..... This is for the luscious lace..... This is for taunting me with your divine smell..... This is for making me wait so long to do this to you..... " until I was bucking and begging for him to release into me.

He increased his speed until I could take no more and had a mini-epiphany under him – screaming his name over and over, carried away as I was racked with convulsions, climaxing wildly. He groaned out my name in reply and nearly blew me away with the heat of his eruption as he buried himself so deeply in me I thought he'd break me in two.

His grip on me was immensely powerful. I dry-sobbed into his chest as I came down from the intensity of our love-making. Edward covered me in kisses, purring contentedly. I swear I nearly passed out from the headiness of what we'd just achieved together.

Later, as we lay cuddled up together, recovering, Edward muttered in my ear: "Good grief Bella where did you learn to do that?"

I looked over my shoulder and said "You really have to ask?"

"Oh let me guess – Alice!!"

"She loves you, Edward. It was her gift to us."

"Hmmm sugar and spice and all things nice eh?" he chuckled with a gleam in his eye. "I suppose she'll be wanting another Porsche in return......"

**A/N: The request from a loyal supporter of my stories duly fulfilled here. You know who you are! This is Part 2 of 2. Bella & Edward's love life is hotting up nicely. Bella is learning new tricks. Alice's friendship reaps more rewards for Bella than she ever thought possible....**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind. Special thanks also go to Awesomesauce76, Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	17. In Too Deep

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Warning: Lemon wedgies!**

**Dedication: **For Fiona (Fi).

**Music vibe: **The fab Dave Grohl does it for me again – Foos with "Have It All" – love the lyrics – he's a sexy poet.

**CHAPTER 17: IN TOO DEEP**

**BPOV:**

Edward and I spent much of the rest of the night entwined in each other's arms, legs akimbo, soaking in each other's scents and giggling about our brief foray into light bondage. I figured Edward might have discovered a healthier respect for me and my womanly wiles after that little session. I would definitely be speaking to Alice again as my confidence grew with each encounter.

After we'd come down from our supremely lustful interlude which had almost split me apart, it was relaxing to just lie there and think and kiss and touch and stroke and kiss and touch some more....

You get the picture.

I know it was early days but during these times with Edward, I never wanted to be anywhere other than lying in his arms.

Even my fairly open-minded mother would have been truly astonished at my absolute delight and total absorption in lustful activities with my new husband. She would definitely have been shocked that Edward could be anything but gentlemanly where sex was concerned! She could never have imagined the animal that was often unleashed when he ravished me. He could be endearingly tender, making love exquisitely, and he could be almost bestial, rutting like a satyr in the woods.

I didn't know which of my husband's two extremes I loved more. That was the dichotomy that was my Edward, my Gemini lover.

I had read of men being ardent lovers, but Edward was so much more than that. I was not sure there was a word which described his loving attentions strongly enough. That could be my new challenge for the week: coin a new word for "Edward-loving".

I was equally blessed and cursed that Edward was like the Energizer Bunny where his sexual desires were concerned. He was always ready to service me and even when he'd done that beautifully and frequently, he was still ready to go at the touch of my hand or my tongue.

On the other hand, his sexual energy was like a drug to me and he turned me on so quickly and powerfully, it was all I could do to stay coherent and it was definitely unbearable to be apart from him for more than a few minutes at time. I literally ached and dripped for him merely at the thought of his hands on me. We could make each moan from across the room, if we spent more than few minutes only a few feet from one another - which wasn't often just yet as we couldn't bear it! Jasper did alot of eye-rolling on our account.

Although Edward kept taking me for hunts, little and often, he kept saying that he'd rather eat from my table than that of the forest; that he'd rather drink from me, than drink of his favourite prey. Him just saying that was pretty erotic to me: I was like putty in his amazing hands.

Of course, poor Jasper had had his hands full since my transformation into a vampire. He was the victim of his empathic nature, although he and Alice didn't seem to mind that the knock-on effect of our passion meant their sex life had been ramped up to extremes as well.

It affected the others too. On one occasion, a slightly comical but pleasant surprise occurred when Edward and I were at the house early on in my vampirehood.

Edward and I had snuck off to the semi-privacy of his old room for a quickie. All four pairs of Cullen mates had consequently been awash with the lust being broadcast so powerfully and unashamedly by Jasper as he absorbed Edward's and my ride to orgasm.

Jasper was so blown away by the intensity of our lovemaking that he couldn't help but succumb to his own desires, dragging Alice off to their room and getting stuck in. Evidently, the others had been swept up in it too through no fault of their own.

Despite the fact that during uor own breathless coupling, Edward had his hand clamped over my mouth to stifle the screams of ecstasy when he brought me to multiple orgasms in that sublime half hour or so, we had smilingly heard Alice, Rose and Esme take off into frenzied orbit about few minutes later as they all followed suit, spurred on by Jasper's own lust which had piggybacked ours. He was beaming our joy to the Cullen world. It filled me with immense satisfaction that "sensible Bella" could transmit her love for Edward that way and everybody had got the benefit of it that day. The sounds of their enjoyment spiked ours and off we went again, to communal groans of pleasure.

It was lucky that Jacob had taken Renesmee off our hands for a short while because, in that window of opportunity, the Cullen house had been rocking to the vibes of the best love-fest it had seen in years - we all nearly brought the house down! At one point, Emmett roared "feel the lurrve" and we all hooted with unselfconscious laughter – before renewing our activities with vigour.

We had all re-grouped in the living room afterwards, wordlessly beaming smiles all round, hugging one another in a communal blissful state. It was one of those moments in life that needed no comment, despite the fact it had been pretty awe-inspiring. It was a purely organic rather than intellectual experience. Feel the lurrve indeed.

We'd all stretched out together on the huge family couch, arms wrapped around each other, enjoying the peace of an unusual shared family moment. I commented to Edward later that I'd never seen Carlisle so at peace.

Of course, we didn't have to wait long for the vibe to be shattered by the arrival of an excited Jacob with Renesmee, followed by a ravenous Seth, as they demanded to know what there was to eat as they headed for the kitchen. They sailed past us in noisy banter, oblivious to this pride of leonine vampires sated after a sexual feast! We were all purring with satisfaction.

- * -

My body shook with a giggle for a moment as my thoughts went back to that incident (already nicknamed the "Love In" by Emmett). My jiggling caused Edward to cover my mouth with another kiss as his fingers did some more walking over my body. They traced a path up my arm, over my collarbone, down across the tops of my breasts which were instantly perky as he passed them by.

He did a figure of eight around my bellybutton and the outside of my breasts, my skin goosebumping as he went. Each sweep of his fingers got closer to my mound until my persistent groans persuaded him to clamp me where my wet heat was waiting for him and my nerve endings cried out for his touch.

Energizer Edward was patently ready to buzz again too! Always worth a moment's thought. Who needed lipstick vibrators with him around? I gave the device a brief thought as I realised I hadn't seen what he had done with it after he'd confiscated it. On second thoughts, I definitely wanted to try that little sucker on him again soon. Note to self: invest in some more toys.

Edward fingered me steadily as I kept moaning into his mouth. His scent filled me and I could never get enough of it. I used to think I would carry that smell with me to the grave. Now of course I would have it with me forever. His musk was pure sex to me. It was purrfection.

Kissing him was a dream come true and I could spend hours with my tongue buried in his mouth. I thought that was purrfection too.

Then he would touch me in ways that made my toes curl and I would think THAT was purrfection on its own.

Then when he came inside me and connected deeply with my core, I knew that was purrfection intensified right there. No contest.

Can you guess that I love Edward in ways I never imagined I could?

Speaking of purrfection, the infinity sign of that figure of eight being stroked into me again was teasing my soul into offering itself up for another tantalising treat. How much sexual gratification could a girl get? All my Christmases came at once with Edward every day and we'd only been married for, what, a month and a half? We'd had a fortnight's full-on fornicating and the fun was only just starting.

_Oh god Edward, bring those fingers home to Bella. _I repeated those words out loud and let Edward know just how good he was making me feel. He let out a growl of unadultered lust and rammed his fingers up into me, slipping in and out, encouraging me to thrust against him.

"Those fingers Edward, when I think of what you can do with them...."

"What do they do to you, my Bella?" he whispered huskily.

"They make me vibrate Edward. You play me like an instrument."

"Mmmmm you're my acoustic guitar Bella" he chuckled, moving his hands to my curves, ghosting the tips of his fingers over my hips and backside, circling my buttocks. That sent shockwaves up into my core. "You're my piano; your skin my keyboard; your sounds my melody; your desire my undoing". _Holy shit that's hot. My beautiful Edward..._

I moaned and bucked against his hand which had gone back inside to touch that sweet bud of nerves which so enjoyed his sweet attentions. I couldn't help but move against him and lose myself in the sensations he was giving me. He was a generous lover, always seeking my pleasure before his own.

He flipped me over onto my front. I mewed in dismay as his hand left me. He shushed me with some kisses to the dip in my back, tonguing me as he travelled lower, reaching the top of my crack. A wave of goosebumps hit the backs of my legs and reached deep into my inner thighs. _Oh hell that's intense..._

Kneeling behind me, he gently moved my legs apart and leaned forward over me. With one movement, he put his arm under me, placed his hand to my belly, pulling me up and back towards him, impaling me on his glorious manhood. _Holy shit THAT'S intense! _I leaned on my arms as he entered me from behind and started a rhythmic stroking of my clit.

I sighed with pleasure. That cock was truly divine. Through Alice, I'd made the pleasant discovery that Edward was blessed with a slightly larger cock than normal. I was more than pleased it was making its presence felt in a truly delicious way as he buried himself deep to the hilt inside me.

I trembled in response to his thrusting as this position afforded really deep penetration and I couldn't help but moan wantonly as I felt him drive REALLY deep into me. This was heaven.

I could tell we wouldn't be able keep this up for long as the tightening in my belly told me I would convulse in ecstasy very soon. The slapping sound of his groin against my backside was primal. He speeded up his thrusting which evidently increased his pleasure and like a domino effect, his desire escalated. I grunted and went with it. He fisted my hair as he rode me. This was Edward the animal. He was mounting me, his mate. He wanted to impregnate me and I was ready to receive his hot juices when they exploded into me. And oh how I wanted them.

"Come for me Edward, pump harder" I growled at him. He tugged my hair again, growling back at me. _Oww _....d_amn that hurts! _"Come on, give me your seed" I panted. _My god Bella listen to you talking dirty! _

Edward continued to increase momentum, losing himself in the sensory overload, ultimately not being able to do anything other than simply rut. And rut he did! He was burning me up with his speed and in the end it was me who shrieked first, letting out a howl as I contracted around him insanely, wanting to collapse as my insides burned to a crisp. Edward had other ideas and held me firmly in position by my hips until he was good and ready to let go.

When he finally pulsed into me with a primal bellow, he nearly floored me. I saw stars again and all but blacked out. Edward convulsed behind me, grasping me around the waist tightly, hugging me to him, panting with effort.

We stayed connected like that for ages until I felt his juices oozing out of me, slick and cool now the moment of delirium had passed. Slowly as we both relaxed, I spilled out over him, coating us both in a pool of a million tiny lives not woken.

**A/N: So Edward has gone to the dogs hahaha!!! A good shaggy dog story?  
**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind and I love to hear from you. Special thanks also go to AwesomeSauce 76, Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	18. A New Moon

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: Twist of lemon**

**Dedication: **For Bella and Edward

**Music: **Nickelback - Far Away

**CHAPTER 18: A NEW MOON**

**BPOV:**

Edward and I dragged ourselves out of bed a little unwillingly in the morning, but we also wanted to catch up with Renesmee and start the day with lots of cuddles. For some reason, I felt the extra need for a cuddle this morning.

Once the image of our daughter was in my head, she was all I wanted to breathe in at that moment. However, Edward's pull to me was just as great and as I ached for him most of the time, it was not always easy to move away from him. The heady drug of his glorious scent, coupled with my deep love for him and the image of our daughter created from that love, made for a powerful mix of emotions. Being a vampire intensified everything and could literally be mind-blowing if you let it. No wonder newborns generally had problems controlling themselves as they were pulled apart by strong forces.

And so, with a sigh and a realisation we had to be pragmatic, we prised our bodies apart, quickly showered, dressed and headed off towards the house. Every few yards along the short distance, I would pull Edward against a tree and kiss him stupid. His face was a picture of delight and bewilderment. His laughs were food for my soul this morning as I gloried in being able to throw him around a little.

I was slowly starting to get used to this new body and wasn't averse to using some feminine wiles to get Edward right where I wanted him – and if he didn't get the message first time, I could ram the message home with a little persuasion. It would do him good not to be the one in charge for a change. There was a certain irony when I looked back on these thoughts later. Anyway, my new strength was a little sweet payback for all those times that Edward had used his immutable strength of will to prevent me from following through on my desires when I had still been human!

Alice was also delighted at the way things were shaping up between us. Edward's brothers alternated between making fun of his new-found appetites and being secretly awed by them. Alice discreetly told me this behind the scenes and I was delighted that we were setting the bar high for his brothers to follow. Just watch us blow your past bragging out of the water, boys - Edward had a century of abstinence to make up for – watch and learn, boys, watch and learn!

I chuckled and shook my mind away from thoughts of a more carnal nature, back to something more becoming to a mother. We duly arrived at the house in a state of grace and scooped our gorgeous daughter into our arms. One of these days soon we were going to take our daughter home each night but while we had willing babysitters, I was going to enjoy solo Edward at night for a tiny bit longer. She knew we loved her to bits but for now, she was happy to be cuddled to sleep by any one of the Cullen family or Jacob.

Renesmee, as always, was delighted to see us and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. The first sight of her in the mornings always amazed me and made my new heart sing. Each day I said a little prayer of thanks for this precious gift. If I'd still been human she would still have been in my belly – although the thought of her squashing back in there did give me goosebumps, it must be said. It felt like a lifetime since she'd made her appearance and I had fought the fight of my life. I shuddered at the memory of it. Strange how your mind adapts to new situations so quickly.

After Edward sorted out Renesmee's feed, we all chatted about the day ahead. We had nothing particular in mind but by general consensus, the family wanted to take a day out from researches about Renesmee's condition, and indeed Carlisle was enjoying the prospect of taking some mental time out. He had just suggested to Esme that they might take a run up to the coast and perhaps stay away overnight.

We all spent a peaceable morning together talking and mulling over ideas, then Carlisle and Esme took off as planned. Rosalie wasn't so easily persuaded to leave the house while Jacob and his pack were around today, and so the boys opted to play computer games in the viewing room, using the huge flatscreen.

Soon the house was filled with taunts and general boisterous behaviour as Jacob went and joined in the fun. Seth opted to join in as well once he heard they were using the big flatscreen for car racing contests. So that was them taken care of for a couple of hours.

I knew that Charlie would be coming over later for his cuddles with Renesmee, which reminded me that I ought to search out something for his forthcoming birthday. My mind hopped skipped and jumped over possibilities. What do you get your father when money is no object and your father's only hobbies were fishing and watching baseball?

I muttered my query to the queen of shopping and so Alice decided she was going to break me in on some all-out internet shopping. My first task was to get something for Renesmee and then work up to something bigger for Charlie.

With credit card in hand, she set about showing me the best sites for Renesmee's clothing and accessories – which to be honest was of more interest to her and Rosalie than to me as I knew they'd always be searching for the next set of clothes as Renesmee grew out of the current ones quickly and more images of her developement were stored up for the archives. Just how many clothes did a little girl need, no matter how cute?

After I'd satisfied Alice's initial craving for something new to be delivered to the post office, I set about browsing the internet for Charlie. Edward being Edward, he'd sneaked out from the viewing room to come and give me some cuddles. I didn't mind internet shopping if I could keep Edward behind me, with his arms wrapped around me, face buried in my neck! Not very practical, it must be said, but it took the edge off my distaste for the conspicuous consumerism I was witnessing at the computer beside me while Alice and Rosalie went mad at a new online shop they'd just discovered. It still didn't solve my dilemma about Charlie's birthday gift, but I had some time in hand before I really needed to worry.

While Alice and Rosalie's attentions were diverted, Edward and I sneaked off upstairs for some quiet time and a little bit of necking. I just couldn't get enough of my glorious husband. Drinking in his glorious scent as my tongue sweetly made headway with his, I clung to him like he was a liferaft. Unbidden, scattered memories filtered through of all those days when I hadn't been able to touch him or even know if he was safe. I was hit by a tidal wave of emotion and sense of loss, and so deepened my hold on Edward.

Stood as we were against the wall in the corridor by his old bedroom, Edward sensed something "needy" in my clinging to him today, although there was no particular reason for me to be that way today. I sensed his concern as he probably searched his memory banks for what might have happened in the last 24 hours to make me feel suddenly vulnerable.

"What's up, my love? Are you ok?" he pulled back from me for a moment to look at my face. He pulled a stray hair out of the way and took my face between his hands, staring intently into my eyes. "You're troubled. What's going on?"

Oh Edward, Edward....so attuned to my body language. He might not be able to read my mind but he could certainly read my body. Before I'd met him, I could scarcely have believed there was a creature out there so intuitive of my needs. I wondered for an instant if a human male could ever have been like that. This man in front of me was worth every bit of pain I had gone through to be with him. Although the physical wounds of my challenges and pain had been healed, there were still pockets of hurt within my mind which needed zipping up and locking away. These were hard to reach pockets and only Edward could heal them. However, it was hard to let him see them because when they surfaced, they only served to hurt him in turn and even more intensely.

"I'm ok, just hold me. Never let me go. Don't ever let me go." I trembled as he bent down to me and hugged me to his body fiercely, arms wrapped strongly around me, swinging me gently and tenderly like you would soothe a fretful baby.

He instantly knew what was troubling me. "Oh Bella, you're still hurting. Oh my love, I'll never forgive myself for doing that to you." He closed his eyes as his own buried anguish surfaced and seered through him. "I'm right here. I'm never ever letting you go. You know I love you more than life itself."

He lifted me up as I hitched my legs around him.

"I know, Edward, I know" I murmured into his ear, but still the waves of grief kept coming. All I could do was ride them out.

I dried-sobbed against him as more emotion played with my head and swept over me. I hated being this way and usually tried to bury these feelings, but every now and then this emptiness would sweep over me and knock me flat. They brought with them debris and mess which I still needed to get the measure of. If I could deal with these small pockets of hurt, then hopefully bit by bit I could exorcise them.

I had long since forgiven Edward for his decision to leave me for those months in his misguided belief that it had been for my own safety. I had long since accepted this man was my forever future. There, in between, lay a few landmines to be disposed of carefully. It was still too close in time to those awful times for me to have dispelled the terror completely. Only time would distance me from it and only time would help me adjust to all the changes that had taken place in a momentous year.

Much as I had wanted and accepted my new life, it was a still powerful set of emotions I had carried with me through the dark and the fire, fighting through them to happiness in the end. It couldn't be helped that my soul was still a little scorched from the arduous journey and the toll it had taken.

Edward still had his own demons and still had a way to go to forgive himself. More often than not, it was me reassuring him. I accepted that if some of things hadn't happened the way they had, I might still to this day have been trying to persuade Edward to change me. It was like breaking a leg to re-set it so it could mend properly. We were going to need a natural healing time and every now and then, the itching of scabs within the protective plaster was going to drive us momentarily mad until we had scratched at them and sloughed them off.

All this acknowledgement passed through my head as Edward held me in his arms as tenderly as I'd ever known him to. His eyes were downcast and I could feel his pain too. The strong emotions were there on the surface and I needed to kiss them away. With a desperate moan, I murmured a frantic "I love you, I need you" into his mouth and buried my tongue as deep as I could get it. His response was immediate and so intense that I counted my blessings we didn't need to breathe.

As we emerged from this deep kiss, I kept telling him over and over that I loved him, that he meant the world to me, that he was beautiful and that I was healing and would keep healing as long as he was with me.

His face contorted in grief as I inevitably scratched at his own emotional wounds. He clung to me in turn, still begging forgiveness for letting me down all those months ago. He still hated himself for his actions and I knew that as long as I still hurt, he would not get over it either. Until our remembrance of that painful loss of each other was past, I knew that we would still grieve at times when the fears resurfaced.

I wasn't normally a pessimist but I still couldn't shake the feeling that the other boot was going to drop at some point. I really didn't want to waste precious Edward-loving time on these negative emotions, but all the same, I couldn't stop them from coming at me like a freight train sometimes. I wasn't always in control of the signals, despite my ability to control myself much of the time. I'd already figured there would be these moments of derailment on our journey down the line. How we dealt with them was what was important. That Edward understood me was important. That I knew he would always be by my side was important. We would heal in the longer term, but for now all we had to do was get through this shaky moment and restore our equilibrium.

Kissing Edward was my best medicine for now. It was my way of connecting to him, soul to soul, like a balm to ease the rawness of the scratching.

I pulled back from him again, looking deep into his eyes and finding some peace there at last.

I heard light footsteps on the stairs and a presence behind us. I'd known deep down it wouldn't take long for either Alice or Jasper to appear and help us through this. In the event, the scent wafting towards us confirmed it was in fact both of them, standing there wordlessly, hand in hand, intuitively wanting to ease us through this moment of mini-grieving. They didn't need to be told what was going on here. Alice embraced me, and Jasper embraced Edward. It was a heavy emotional moment and with love and understanding, it would pass.

"We love you" they said, almost in unison.

"You're here, together." said Alice.

Jasper looked from her to us. "That's all that counts."

- * -

**A/N: With the release of New Moon, so I thought it apposite to revisit the ramifications of what those events opened up. It's a kind of catharsis for Bella.**

**Song: THIS is the song that Chris should have put in New Moon. This is the song that covers Bella & Edward's separation and their reunion. This** **is the song that totally blows me away every time I hear it because it is so damned beautiful and haunting and romantic and is what I hear in my head when Bella is standing on that cliff, is waking from her nightmares, and when she finally slams into him in Volterra and rescues him from himself.**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind. **


	19. On Your Back

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I'm just lucky enough to set foot in her playground!**

**Warning: **Lemons in leather outfits. Hmmmm wheelies :D

**Dedication: **For Rena, fellow rock chick and a pretty awesome friend to have. This is a gentle one for you.

**Music vibe:** Foo Fighters - Walking After You.

**CHAPTER 19: ON YOUR BACK**

**BPOV:**

After we'd regained our composure from the morning's breakdown, Edward and I had been desperate to get away from the house and just be by ourselves. We couldn't leave each other's side, hugging each continuously and even Renesmee sensed there was something going on, demanding lots of cuddles and reassurance from us too. We kissed and cuddled her as our hearts went into freefall.

Jasper and Alice had stuck close to us for a few hours, as they could see that I was clearly conflicted, wanting to be with husband and baby basking in their love and affection, but also feeling close to the edge and wanting to break out.

Jasper surged wave after wave of calm at me, wordlessly and without asking. I looked gratefully towards him each time, but my deep anxiety kept outflanking it, leaving me with an overwhelming sense of longing and grief and panic. Edward was piggybacking his feelings off what Jasper was picking up from me and we kept on going in circles emotionally.

Eventually, after a silent exchange between him and Jasper, Edward declared he'd had enough and we had to get out of there. With a swift movement which still floored me when he did it, he swept me into his arms and fled for the garage. Alice's shout of "Don't worry about Renesmee, we'll look after her. Just go sort yourselves out." rang in our ears as Edward hit the remote handset he'd grabbed for the electric doors.

In a blur of movement, I was subtly dressed in leathers in an instant. _How the hell does he do that? _I was surprised even by Edward's speed and idly wondered if I'd ever get that quick myself in time. Before I knew it, he was stood beside me similarly dressed. Edward flicked his eye over my leather-clad body and smiled radiantly, grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me in for a deeply satisfying lustful kiss as he groaned his body's pleasure at the sight and taste of me. Guess he must have liked what he saw. I looked up at him questioningly as he donned my helmet and did up the chinstrap. We looked the part for the outside world, even if the leathers weren't strictly necessary.

Edward fired up his shiny new toy, a Ducati Superbike, in all its scarlet glory and threw me onto the back of it. I instinctively wrapped my arms around his waist as he shouted "Hang on sweetheart, let's get the hell out of Dodge!"

I didn't care where we went as long as I was with him. Being snuggled in close behind him, as the engine purred the few miles down the long drive, was absolutely glorious. Edward and I had not done this together before as he'd given his previous bike to Jasper as promised. I imagined them going off together in future, having fun trying to outride each other, but still beating disappointed policemen at speed traps along the way. Bike riding with Jacob had not been like this at all.

I also imagined Edward and Jasper going to a bike show together in future, or perhaps even Jasper, Alice and us two making up a group for a road trip. Actually it _would _be fun if we all went, although I supposed it wasn't going to be possible until Renesmee was fully grown.

Meanwhile, it was just me and my gorgeous husband and the open road, tearing up the miles. I couldn't help but keep smiling. Edward could sense my joy as he took the bends at speed, showing a proficiency I should have expected – he was brilliant at everything!

"You're a bit of a biker boy at heart Edward!" I shouted into his neck.

"The need for speed and all that!" he threw back at me. I'd bet money he was smiling crazily under that visor.

We headed along a road which was vaguely familiar and I eventually realised he was taking me back to the beach we'd visited the other day to such wonderful effect. I definitely couldn't keep the smile off my face then and snuggled in tightly to Edward's back as I relished the thought of our afternoon together. I groaned inwardly with delight at the memory of that last trip. Oh for that car right now!

Meanwhile, it was going to be me, Edward and an empty beach – pure heaven.

Edward finally pulled up at the parking spot we'd claimed on our previous visit. He threw down the kickstand, but didn't dismount immediately. He took off his helmet and held his hand back over his shoulder, wordlessly asking for my helmet as well. He put them both on the handlebars and sat there, inhaling deeply, closing his eyes and rotating his neck to ease some tension.

I shook my hair out and hugged him tightly, just enjoying the peace of the moment now that the engine had been silenced. An onshore breeze was gusting past us and there were small white caps on the waves rolling towards the beach. Birds hovered and wheeled lazily up and down the shore, calling to each other and being the only sound we could hear apart from the waves as they broke over the beach.

"I love this place" murmured Edward, clasping my hands that were wrapped around his chest. "I used to come here for hours in the winter. It was my other secret place to the meadow. None of the others know I come here".

"It's beautiful." There was nothing else I needed to say.

He suddenly whipped around to face me – the speed of his ghosting still outdid mine and he caught me by surprise. One moment I was nestling into his back, the next he'd done a complete 180, putting his forehead against mine, pulling me towards him. He placed my legs over his thighs and drew my body close to his, pulling me in for the kiss I could see he longed for. We were tilted slightly like the angle of the resting bike, but that didn't matter. He tilted my head and went in for the kill, giving me the passionate kiss we both needed – lots of tongues, moaning and clutching at each other.

I had come to know a sense of peace in being with Edward so intimately. His embraces made me feel wanted and protected at the same time. He opened his heart at those moments and it was always a guessing game as to whether he would look at me with lust and longing, or with a gentle and needy passion which would herald a softer love-making which would inevitably come from our caresses. I needed his loving as much as I used to need air to breathe. This new life was turning out more intense and better than I'd imagined and I would put money on our passion for each other not dimming for a very long time indeed.

Meanwhile, I had the man of my dreams between my legs, alone on a beach and obviously full of desire: I couldn't wait any longer. My thighs pinched Edward's hips as I pulled myself in closer. He felt my need and stood up with me clinging to him like the spidermonkey he'd once called me. He swiftly walked down the slight incline beyond the bike and onto the dune just below. Kneeling down, he placed me on the sand and looking in my eyes all the while, he removed my boots and leggings. He unzipped my jacket and ran his hands over my Tshirt, nearly making me explode on the spot. He removed his own jacket and laid it under me. My undies were off next and soon I was laid open to him, wanting him as badly as he wanted me. His eyes roamed over me and he moaned with lust. "Jesus...." was all he said as he unzipped himself and plunged straight into me. He kept up a steady movement as I enjoyed his attentions with him kissing me for all he was worth. His sweet taste filled my mouth and made me even wetter for him.

How could I possibly want him any more than I did right then? Every time was sweeter and sweeter. He aroused me in such a way that I thought I'd go mad with lust if we didn't make love every day, several times a day. I couldn't get enough of him and I was glad he was all vampire because he could keep loving me and keep coming back for more until I was begging for mercy. Not that I was anywhere near begging just yet, except for the first of the many orgasms I knew would come today. He radiated such lust that it was electric and his touch was a taser to my sexual core.

"I love you, Edward. You don't know how much I love and need you." I whispered in his ear, clutching him to me like I was drowning.

"I think I have some idea" he muttered in response, silencing me with another deep kiss that sent shivers down my spine.

He pushed my arms back above my head and sped up his loving. I watched his stunning face above me, his eyes closed as he felt every sensation of what he was doing to me and what I was doing to him. He breathed deeply and steadily, bending his head down as the intensity of his plunges rocked him on towards climax. I wanted to watch him climax but was so desperate for my own release, I didn't know if I could hold on. Another few strokes had me falling apart.

"Oh god I'm coming Edward" I screamed as I felt the heat flow like a bolt of lightning through me. I couldn't help but twitch around Edward as he let out a yell too and plunged his mouth down onto mine, kissing me like he was trying to suck air from my lungs. The scent from his arousal washed over me in waves of honey, blissful honey, as I snaked my arms from under his grip and grabbed hold of his hair, keeping him on my mouth where I could breathe him in.

His own release came forcefully, hot and heavy, as I felt it shoot up inside me. That had to be the best feeling in the world, along with the second climax of my own that immediately came fast and furious. That shattering feeling of being blissfully out of control with my gorgeous husband was worth every bit of fire I had gone through to get here to reach this moment. When he finally released my mouth from our kiss, I sobbed into his neck with relief.

I had thought we were close this morning, but this moment was even more powerful again. Edward astounded me daily.

He pulled his head back a little, kissing me gently and sweetly. He kissed my eyes and my forehead, nuzzling me and whispering "I love you" over and over again.

"As I love you" was all I could say through my sobs.

He stayed inside me, not wanting to move. I'd have fought him with all my strength if he'd tried to pull out, such was my need for him.

I felt him fumble in his jacket pocket. He brought out an iPod. Putting one earpod in my ear, and the other in his own, he selected some music and set it going.

I heard the gentle tones of an acoustic guitar and a rhythmic tapping, followed by a male voice singing the opening lines as Edward set about kissing me all over my face, neck and shoulders, in time to the beat of the song, swaying gently as he did so. I could see we were going to have another musical love session and smiled happily as his tongue then successfully found the tip of my left breast through the fabric of my Tshirt. Edward was relaxing into the moment and I loved this side to him. My musical animal was making sweet music with me!

As Edward's tongue lapped at my breast, my insides twinged with pleasure. His persistence paid off as I kept giving an involuntary twitch inside and could feel the stirrings of interest there from him too. I mused whether he could get me off just with his tongue. I think the answer was that he probably could, as he never failed to stir me and provoke a wanton reaction. I briefly wondered what kind of trouble we'd have got into if we'd crossed the line weeks before our wedding like I was so desperate to do. Well, we had waited and good mindblowing things had happened continually since then.

The music moved to another gentle track* and the vibe of it was so sensual that I could barely stay conscious, I was so overcome with the emotion and pleasure of it. Half of my mind vaguely heard the lyricsand I fell in love with this track and Edward all over again. The melodic track was purrfect for this moment.

Meanwhile, Edward had moved to my other breast and I groaned at the loss of him on the first one. His hand moved up to replace his lips and he worked on me in tandem. This was too intense as I could feel my insides revving up again. He lifted up my T-shirt and licked a long line up from my mound towards my chest. _Oh crap, that's too much! _With that, I let out a heartfelt moan of ecstasy as I came again over his ever-increasing manhood inside me. I glimpsed Edward's dark lustful eyes as he watched me in the throes of pleasure. Once again I captured his mouth insistently and he sucked on my tongue, starting to ride me again from the inside, this time slowly and leisurely, in sync with the music we were listening to. This was just so damned sensual I could have passed out with pleasure.

Edward held my face in his hands as he moved in and out of me. He mouthed the words of the song and kissed me lovingly in between. He was making love to me in one of the best ways he knew how. I could have cried a river, it was so beautiful. He gently came to climax, making me feel wholly loved and whole inside. His love for me was so palpable, I could have reached out and touched it. Our pain of this morning had mutated to this magical moment.

I would take as much loving as Edward wanted to give me today. When Lifeboats crooned into my consciousness, that was it, I was gone again as we replayed our wonderful night of SP loving the previous week - we stayed on the beach for several hours longer!

**A/N: God I love this couple! **

***Walking After You: has to be one of the most tender and gorgeous songs that Dave and the Foos have ever done.**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback Special thanks also go to AwesomeSauce76, Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	20. Mother

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Dedication: **Fuer meine wunderbare Schwester Elke, mein Schatz, mit meiner ganzen Liebe. Ich wuensche Dir bald alles Gutes im Leben xxx

**Music vibe: **The late lamented Jeff Buckley offers something here: Everybody Here Wants You

**CHAPTER 20: MOTHER**

**BPOV:**

We returned to the main house with the cobwebs blown away and both feeling much more serene than before. Edward was smiling like a Cheshire cat and quite full of himself.

Naturally, Emmett caught onto that and started in on him, asking how many times we'd made love and how he hoped we'd be into double figures by now. Edward stood there with his arms folded, eyes all sparkly with amusement, shaking his head, not rising to it. I hoped for Emmett's sake that the payback wouldn't be too much of a bitch, but it was his own fault for baiting Edward that way. I growled towards Emmett, who backed away with his hands held up as if saying "no fault".

My main attention was focused on Renesmee upon returning to the house. She was happily playing with Alice when we arrived and gave me a beaming smile when I walked towards her. She put her arms up immediately for cuddles and kisses. I picked her up, glancing over her body and seeing infinitessimal changes. I presumed we'd missed her evening measuring session but would speak to Carlisle about that shortly.

Edward left Emmett trailing in his wake and came over to us, throwing his arms open wide as he approached us, eyes lighting up as he looked towards Renesmee. I adored his face when he looked at our gorgeous daughter. The joy in his expression always left me speechless and I thanked my lucky stars each day that I had persisted in my wish for us to consummate our marriage while I was still human. If he'd had his way, this miracle in my arms would never have been brought to life. My darling Edward wasn't always right!

Renesmee chuckled a bright laugh at her daddy's approach. He laughed back at her. "Where's daddy's hug then? Is it round here?" he bobbed round the back of me to hide. Renesmee's head leaned out and turned to follow him. "Is it here maybe?" His hand snaked up to tickle her foot. She wriggled in my arms, exploding with a giggle. "Is it here maybe?" From behind me, he tickled her ear and her neck disappeared like a tortoise's into her top. "Oh no where's daddy's hug gone?" Her face looked slightly troubled. "Oh there it is, right in front of me!" and he blurred in front of us, sweeping her out of my arms and into his so he could kiss her face all over, blowing raspberries to the screaming delight of our baby girl. He lifted her up and swung her round. I clicked on that moment as a mental snapshot for our treasurechest - the most handsome man in the world with our beautiful baby daughter.

Everyone around us was just as charmed, all beaming smiles. Renesmee was indeed the light of all of our lives and my heart could have burst with contentment.

Edward turned to Alice and Jasper and mouthed "thank you". They both nodded wordlessly and smiled, and no further mentioned was made about our emotional wobbles of the morning or their emergency care of our daughter.

Carlisle and Esme had already returned to the house after their trip out. They looked content and somewhat satisfied too. The house was all about happiness at that point and it was a lovely place to be. I sent out more thanks to the universe.

Edward continued his besotted adoration of our daughter, so I went to sit beside Alice, picking up her hand to hold it. "So what have you been buying today then? Have we got lorryloads of new things to come for Renesmee?"

Her face lit up as she mentally catalogued the list she'd no doubt have for me.

"Oh we've made a list of a few things we think will be absolutely necessary for Renesmee in a few weeks' time. She's going to need that room of hers revamping for a little princess and of course a complete princess wardrobe to go with it. Oh and we've even ordered some new all-weather fishing gear for you and Renesmee to give your father for his birthday. Hope you don't mind!"

I felt mightily relieved. "Thank you Alice, I knew you'd come up trumps for me. At least it saves me a trip to Port Angeles or Seattle, although I'm guessing Edward wouldn't have minded a trip out on that new bike again. He enjoyed himself on the road today."

"Perhaps we should get a pink sidecar for Renesmee later on to attach to the bike, so you can all go shopping together?" mused Alice.

That got her an exasperated glare from Edward. "It's a Superbike, not a pushbike, Alice. Not funny!" Alice giggled and winked at me.

Jasper and Edward started talking "motorbike", comparing notes and even talking about going for a ride together just like I'd daydreamed about earlier. It would do Edward good to get out on a boy's trip and to chill out for a bit. Edward danced Renesmee on his knee as he talked and looked the picture of domesticity with her.

We heard a call from outside as Jacob and his pack approached the house. Renesmee could hear Jacob's voice and was craning her head round to see him. Jacob and Seth came bounding into the house and took about two seconds to reach the couches.

"Where's my baby girl?" crooned Jacob, spotting her and walking towards Edward.

"Ahem? Whose baby girl?" Edward's head was tilted up at an angle towards Jacob, eyebrow raised quizzically. Jacob was walking on thin ice for a moment and seemed to realise that too as he backed away with his hands held up in surrender. Renesmee smiled up at Jacob.

"Ok, I'll cuddle her as and when you're ready."

"Don't hold your breath, mutt. I've only just got my hands on her now."

Rosalie chuckled a wicked laugh from over by the window where she was now having a private moment with Emmett who had retreated to safety as well. "Serves you right – presumptuous curr!"

Renesmee looked between her daddy and Jacob, then put her hands on Edward's face to ask whatever was troubling her. Edward looked down tenderly at her. "No, it's ok sweetie. I'm not mad at Jacob. I just want some cuddle time with you, that's all. Jacob can have you in a little while, ok? Now where's my other cuddle?" He pulled her to him and kissed her loads, making a fuss of her.

I smiled at his diplomatic answer. Our daughter was a fast learner and had picked up the slight tension. I waggled a finger at Jacob, admonishing him for his cheekiness. His smile and shrug said it all.

"So where did you disappear to today? I asked Jacob.

"Oh we ran patrol right up to the Canada border, checking out our capabilities. We're getting pretty good and communicating with Sam longer distance. It will definitely come in handy in future now I know that he and I can touch base telepathically. It saves on the cellphone charges!"

"Food's ready, boys!" shouted Esme from the kitchen. "Come and get it." Jacob and Seth bolted for the kitchen like the hounds of Hell were after them.

I hadn't noticed that Esme had gone out into the kitchen or I'd have given her a hand. As thoughtful as ever, her first concern when the boys arrived was always for the welfare of their stomachs. It really was a full-time thing keeping up with their need for calories. It looked like Seth was going to match Jacob for height, if not beefy muscle yet. He had shot up in height over the past month and seemed to have empty legs, judging from the amount of food he consumed! His family probably sighed with relief that most of his food was provided by the Cullen family, otherwise he would literally have eaten his mother out of house and home.

Of late, we'd also been providing some Quileute families with venison for their tables during the time my family had to stick close to home for hunting purposes. If asked, Seth and Jacob merely said they had hunting privileges in our woodland as we were more than happy to share the bounty.

Thinking of Jacob's food made me wonder when Renesmee had been fed. I looked over at her gurgling on Edward's lap as he chatted to Jasper but continued to pay her attention as well, kissing her hand or her cheek from time to time. She kept putting her hand on his face and he would stop talking for a moment, responding to her concerns. It was getting close to bedtime for Renesmee and time for me to gently nestle her to sleep as per routine.

I called across the room and broke in on the motorbike conversation. "Time for her evening bottle, Edward?" He looked over at me and sighed. "I guess so."

Jacob's face lit up as this was one of his favourite duties, so he knew he'd have a few minutes of Renesmee's time. Jacob ambled over to Edward "May I?" Edward graciously relinquished hold of his daughter and headed out to the kitchen to prepare the bottle. He often took her out there with him when he prepared a feed and I loved listening to them "chat" while out of the room. Unfortunately feeding Renesmee was still beyond my scope as the blood was just too heady for my control, but I always looked forward to my time with her afterwards when settling her down.

That time was the prelude to our return to the cottage where I could relax properly with Edward and while away the hours in his arms, making love or listening to music or even reading during the odd half hour when we were not wrapped in each other's arms.

In the meantime, I was mother and friend to those around me and although I loved it all, it did take some concentration at times not to act the teenager and just make out with my handsome husband all the time.

I looked up as Edward returned to the room searching out my eyes and smiling affectionately at me. His long limbs made short work of the room as he handed Jacob the bottle and then blurred over to me, lifting me up off the couch so he could sit down with me on his lap. He automatically put a hand up under the fabric of my top, stroking my back comfortingly. I tucked my arm around his neck and pulled him in for a short kiss.

Alice was still sat next to us. She asked us if we had any plans for the next day and what we might like to do. We looked at each other blankly – I was literally taking one day at a time as I got accustomed to being a newborn vampire. My main thoughts were Renesmee, feeding and sex – and not necessarily in that order!

Alice asked if we fancied a trip across to Vancouver Island to try hunting some black bears or cougar, with maybe a shopping trip into Victoria in a limited capacity as it was the end of the tourist season. I looked over at Emmett who was smiling hopefully back at me and just knew this was his idea as he never passed up the opportunity to hunt bear.

While I loved the idea in principle of a trip to the Island, I was still too nervous to think about undertaking such a trip this early into my vampirehood. I felt a bit like when I was given the pepper spray to keep on me for protection - I just felt it was asking for trouble.

Edward stilled under me while I debated it. "If in doubt, rule it out" he whispered in my ear. I had to agree with him. While I was doing quite well with the control thing, I really didn't want to tempt fate just yet until I'd got it firmly nailed down.

I looked back over at Emmett and shook my head sadly at him. I knew he'd be looking forward to such a trip. Then I looked at Alice who nodded her head. "Yes, Edward is probably right. I can't foresee what would happen at this stage, but if you're not comfortable with it, let's not push it."

"Please don't let me stop you all going over for a trip. I can join you on a later one as I'd like to see the Island again – it's been years since I went over there with my dad.

Emmett chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, before commenting. "Well, you can always see the Island from your favourite tree next time you take a trip to the coast! I know you get a good view across the Sound from a hundred feet up!"

In a blur, I was deposited on the couch as Edward streaked towards Emmett shouting "That's it – outside - I've had enough of your damned innuendo!" Emmett was out of the door like a rocket, laughing like a maniac, with Edward haring after him, cursing up a storm.

Jacob, Rosalie and I drifted to the window to watch proceedings, grinning at their antics. I couldn't help but laugh as Edward's temper got the better of him but he wasn't too mad as I could hear the boys wrestle each other to the ground, beating on each other but laughing at the same time, trading fairly fruity insults. Although Emmett was stronger, Edward was faster and could hear his thoughts to anticipate his next move. He would whip around Emmett to grab hold of him from behind. They were evenly matched and also getting pretty mucky from the damp lawn and mud.

Esme went outside to scold them and warn them away from her plant borders and also not to come in the house all dirty. Carlisle had drifted up behind us. He chuckled and shook his head. "I wondered how long it would be before those two went at it again. Emmett really doesn't learn, does he?"

Carlisle put an arm around my shoulder, kissing my temple. In a quiet voice, he said "How are you doing today Bella? I gather you've had an emotional time of things today."

"I'm fine thanks, Carlisle. The trip to the shore helped alot. It gave Edward a chance to blow away the cobwebs as well as try out his new bike. We're both ok, you don't need to worry."

"Well, don't forget you've taken alot on board over the past few weeks. It's been quite an intense time for you both. It will take time to settle down. You don't always have to keep it inside and be strong, so if there's anything we can do, don't be afraid to ask, ok?"

I turned to give Carlisle a hug of thanks. He really was the best father-in-law a girl could ask for and I loved him dearly. My thoughts turned to Renesmee again. "How's my little girl doing?"

"She's doing fine. Very healthy and happy. Still growing at a rate of knots but I'm convinced that will slow in time. Try not to worry about her and just enjoy her for what she is."

"Yeah, I know. Live in the moment." I knew that, but couldn't help but worry. That's what mothers do.

Carlisle looked back outside. "Looks like the boys have run out of puff and are on speaking terms again. Esme will corral them now. Oh dear, look at the state of them! They'd better watch out or she'll have their guts for garters."

Two very dirty but smiling young warriors ambled towards the house where Esme stood on the porch with her hands on her hips, pointing to a spot on the steps where two towels lay waiting for them.

"Strip!" she commanded.

They looked chagrined but complied swiftly, before racing through the house hooting with laughter and dashing up the stairs. I heard Edward shout that Emmett had better lend him some clothes to wear as he was not walking home through the woods butt naked that evening.

Esme disposed of the dirty clothing like the den mother she always seemed to be around the boys. She'd be saddled with that job forever if she weren't careful, but she looked fondly at their retreating backs so I guessed she probably wouldn't mind doing so for a while longer.

Shaking my head in amusement, I reached over to Jacob to take Renesmee out of his arms. Renesmee looked slightly flushed from her feeding but quite content, her eyes just starting to droop slightly after being rocked by Jacob for a while.

I settled her in my arms, assuming our usual position of her tucked against my left shoulder, facing towards me, with my right hand clasping her left one to my cheek as I watched her drift slowly off to sleep. Her mouth made little smiles now and then as her dreams claimed her, blurred colours melded into each other, morphing into new colours like a light show behind opaque glass. I wished my own dreams had been like this when I was human and that, if I'd needed to dream as a vampire, they would have been as peaceful as this. Given her unique parentage and unique set of challenges, this was a contented child in my arms, and for that I was very glad.

As I stood by the window, I felt familiar arms slip around my waist as Edward came up behind me. He kissed my neck, put his head over my shoulder and slid his hand up over mine which was cupping Renesmee's in turn, connecting into her dreams too with me as he watched the colours play. He rocked me gently from side to side, so I could rock her too.

This was my favourite time of all, cuddling my baby with my man cuddling both of us.

Despite our emotional breakdown that morning, I felt I was the luckiest vampire alive.

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind. Special thanks also go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	21. Addicted to Love

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Warning: **Did someone say lemons? I could wax lyrical but I won't...oh, ok: hot sticky lemon pudding with a generous topping of pouring cream!

**Dedication: **This one is for Rob! I really hope he is getting some :D

**Music:** The late great Robert Palmer with his best anthem: Addicted to Love. I challenge you not to get up and either sing or dance to this one!

**CHAPTER 21: ADDICTED TO LOVE**

**BPOV:**

We had finally arrived back at the cottage after saying goodnight to the family. Tonight, after grounding ourselves emotionally and strengthening our bonds with each other, we had insisted on bringing Renesmee home with us to the cottage. Of course the family all clustered round to say goodnight to her, as if we were going away on a long trip rather than just overnight, until Edward rolled his eyes and called time on the adoration, grabbing my hand to lead the way out of the house.

Alice had evidently been in ahead of us earlier in the day to "tidy up" as she called it. She was never satisfied unless everything was purrfect for our arrival - she had worse compulsive tendencies than I did! With my vampire eyes, I always knew when it was Alice rather than Esme – they each added their own flourishes to the "finish "of the place.

We took Renesmee into her nursery to find a new addition waiting for us there – a digital photo-holder which changed images every few seconds. We watched as image after image came up of Renesmee, charting her progress from newborn baby until yesterday.

It was a poignant reminder of how much she had changed in her two and a half weeks in this world and how quickly she had progressed. Alice and Rosalie were still madly photographing Renesmee each day to chart her development for the Swan/Dwyer photo albums of the future and I would hate to think how many photos would end up being taken by the time she reached maturity in however many years it would take. I tried to guide my mind away from that "end date" and looked back to our beautiful baby sleeping peacefully in her crib at that moment.

"However did we make such a beautiful baby?" I whispered and looked at Edward who was stood behind me with his arm around my shoulder, as I had my arm wrapped around his waist.

"She has an advantage above other children."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" I looked up at him.

"She has a beautiful mother." He kissed my temple. I snorted a chuckle. "Anyway," he continued, "would you like me to remind you how she was made?"

He turned me towards him, cupping my cheeks. He smiled gently, with concern in his eyes as he caught my pensive mood and place a gentle kiss on my lips. "I will gladly show you."

"Won't we wake her?" I looked back at Renesmee's sleeping face.

"Oh I think we can be quiet enough not to disturb her. We might as well practise for when she's a bit older and even more in tune with her surroundings." His smile widened as that thought trickled down into my consciousness.

I needed no further invitation to worship my husband. We quietly moved to our bedroom, where Edward undressed me slowly, peeling away my lingerie with his teeth, allowing his tongue wander where it met skin. He kissed the bits of me he gradually revealed, so it was very tender and hugely sensual.

He would not let me undress him, instead preferring to focus on me for a short while. I thoroughly enjoyed his attentions as he turned me around to face away from him, kissing his way breathily down my naked back while running his hands down my front. He tongued and nibbled me all the way to each of my ankles, so my skin was alive with tingles. While he was kneeling, he turned me around to face him again, he found his mouth level with my breasts and so kissed and sucked them ardently. All I could do was groan with pleasure. He made his way down my belly gradually, heading for that area of bliss I knew he loved so well, but I had an overwhelming urge to kiss him deeply.

I pulled his chin up and looked down into his face and mouthed "I love you". Taking hold of his hand, I pulled him up upright and walked backwards with him towards the bed as his clothes steadily hit the floor with my encouragement. I sat down on the edge of the bed as my legs gave way and I looked up into his face, pulling him towards me for the long kiss I so wanted. We lingered on the kiss as he leaned his arms on the bed, trying to push me back into a reclining position. I resisted the pressure, so our kiss was quite forceful and we ended up chuckling.

When he stood up in submission, I bent forward and took his manhood into my mouth, sucking on it for a minute or two, before releasing him. I started to inch backwards up the bed. He followed me onto it, predator-style like a stalking cat, leaning in to snatch kisses from me as I backed away. I wanted him to cover my body with his and so lay back when I reached the pillows. He crawled on top and kept eye contact, nudging my legs apart, taking in my scent as that hot blissful place between my thighs was now wet and waiting for him. I looked up into his beautiful face, dazzled, still not quite believing my luck that this gorgeous being was all mine.

Looking at me intently, Edward dipped a finger into me and put it to his mouth and sucked. "Mmmmm so warm and tasty...." he whispered. "All for me?" I nodded and reached for him, stroking him and rubbing the tip of his shaft gently. He groaned and closed his eyes, so I got a snapshot of his angelic face so I could almost imagine how he would look when sleeping. He was so heartbreakingly handsome, I couldn't help the sharp intake of breath. He opened his eyes and saw me staring at him in wonder. He smiled that enigmatic smile of his as I pulled his body in desperately to get him inside me. I would go mad if he didn't make love to me right this minute.

He complied willingly, sliding his length into me and sighing with pleasure at nestling inside me. "My Bella" he whispered.

Pure bliss as I sighed at the feel of him. His mouth came down on mine so his tongue could mimic what his manhood was doing to me slowly and surely. I sucked on his tongue and moaned into him, wrapping my legs around his waist so he could go deeper inside me. That got him hitting the right spot - my breath hitched, so he knew and started to move inside me faster, gaining force with each pass. It was sweet so sweet so so sweet. I was drowning in sensations and felt like I was melting inside and my joints would turn to jelly.

He suddenly pulled out of me and I moaned at the loss of him, clutching him wildly. He kissed and sucked his way down my body to the front of my mound, sliding his tongue down onto my clit, pressing and sucking as I tried pulling him back up to me. I just wanted him back inside me now. No, not wanted: needed! NOW!

I growled, tugging on his hands and hauling him back up to face me. I kissed my scent off his lips and buried my tongue inside his mouth so ardently that he was left reeling. His eyes darkened with lust and his fiery look hit me like a thunderbolt. He came to his knees, swinging his legs round to a sitting position before pulling me up to face him, pulling me onto his groin and into another deep kiss. His knees were bent so it was like I was in a saddle.

With me straddling him and clinging to his neck, hands through his mussy hair, he slid back into me and started his loving of me again. In this position, I could rock into him and bury him deeper, making the most of gravity. As I jutted up against him, his mouth found my breasts and made sweet love to them too. My position and rocking motion made the contact with him so intense, hitting my sweet spot beautifully. I could kiss him as long and hard as I wanted, I could control my speed as he kept me secured in place with his legs. His other arm was snaked around me, pulling me in and helping with the motions. This was glorious. I purred with the pleasure of it.

We kept this up as my movements got faster and he groaned into my mouth. He clung to me fiercely and I could feel him tensing. It wouldn't be long now and I yearned for him to release inside me, but equally I didn't want this beautiful moment to stop.

When he finally came, his mouth was still clamped to mine in a deeply sensual moment as I milked him and enjoyed how he twitched and spurted. I gave a groan of satisfaction as he shuddered and eased his way to a stop, still not letting my mouth go. I didn't want to let him go either and clutched his head to me, to keep him right there as I squeezed every last drop out of him.

Vampire core muscles really rocked!

We stayed like that for several minutes as his juices started to flow back down, drenching us both. He slid out of me with a moan and kissed my nose. His eyes were still heavy with lust, as were mine.

"I think we need a shower" he crooned in my ear. He wheeled around with me clinging to him like a limpet. He inched towards the edge of the bed and stood up. I weighed nothing to him, so carrying me and cupping my behind to support me, he quietly padded to the bathroom. He set me down, although I grumbled about that. His answering smile of amusement was like a lovedart to my heart. Christ but he was beautiful!

As we reached the shower stall, I turned around to face him, reaching up to kiss his lips. I couldn't get enough of him. He backed me into the shower and turned the water on to full hot. We stood there under the water for a while, just kissing and not breathing, soaking in the warmth of the water and the touch of our wet bodies.

Edward eased away from our kiss and soaped me down, staring down into my eyes languidly as his fingers reached all parts of me. He then squeezed some soap into my hands and started kissing me again as I smoothed the creamy lather over his body, paying particular attention to the lower half of him, pulling him in to me while I did the back. He really enjoyed my attention when I did the front, he leaned in towards me, his arms positioned against the wall behind me so his face was right against mine. Neither of us said a word during the whole soaping process. It was pretty much the most erotic damned thing I'd experienced and his resulting erection was magnificent!

Edward moved the top showerhead down and started to sluice us off, directing the water at me from below and making me giggle as it tingled. Wordlessly, he watched me intently as I enjoyed that, his enigmatic smile playing around his lips. Him not speaking was wildly sexy in itself and I could only guess what he might want to do next.

He put the showerhead back and pulled me to him, turning the shower off. With his mouth clamped to mine again, he pulled me up onto his hips again and walked out of the shower. Grabbing some large towels on the way, he walked us to the bedroom and stood me on the floor to towel me down. I enjoyed the head rub as he dried my hair roughly. I enjoyed his rubbing down of my front and the passing of the towel underneath me very lightly. The friction he used to dry my legs set up a glorious vibration and I purred like a cat. Still kneeling, he turned me around and kissed my belly, looking up at me but saying nothing.

"What?" I asked, as I looked down at him.

"Ready for round two?" His lascivious smile set me alight as he pulled my belly to his face and set about giving me a lovebite. His thumb was already at work down on my clit and his fingers were sliding up into me as I stood there. I groaned at the sheer wantonness of just standing there being worshipped. I looked back down at him as he was now watching my face steadily, smiling with satisfaction at my pleasure while he worked some magic down there. I stood there for a few minutes more, enjoying what he was doing to me - I had no choice really, as he would not let me move. He was just too damned sexy for words!

I couldn't let him have all the fun though. _Hmm.....time for a snack.... _Bending down to kiss him, I grabbed my chance to push him back down onto the floor. He chuckled in surprise as I wrestled him down, pinning him across the chest with my body. "Want to play dirty, eh?" he laughed, his white teeth flashing in the glow of the fairylights. I adored his smile, his purrfect teeth and how his face lit up with sheer delight and his eyes scrunched up not quite hiding the sparkle in them. His youthfulness was evident then but I loved seeing him laugh and wanted to see alot more of that.

"Can't I wrestle my husband? I have to keep him in order somehow!" I pushed him back down as he struggled to raise himself to his elbows. "Lie back, sunshine - I need a snack break!" I distracted him by kissing each of his nipples and tickled them with my tongue as well for good measure. His huge grin and bemused expression turned to one of pleasure when I quickly slid back down his legs and bent over his manhood. Pushing my wet hair over to one side, I took hold of him and slipped him into my mouth. He let out a hiss.

Looking up at him, I could see he was now resting on his elbows with his head thrown back in a reaction of animal pleasure. He tensed as I slid him out and back in again, licking the tip and sucking on him. His legs jerked slightly in response as he groaned his enjoyment at what I was doing. "Jesus, that's good!" So my efforts weren't being wasted then. I watched his face in between sucks and licks to see how he was doing. I was enjoying doing this for him. His head flopped forward as another wave of pleasure hit him and he let out a long groan. I took him in further, seeing how much of him I could take, and his cries of pleasure increased. I racked up the speed of my movements and adjusted my position between his legs now, bending more deeply over him. I tried relaxing my throat and took a bit more of him in. This was proving quite a turn on. I didn't need to breathe and so just went for it.

Edward couldn't help but thrust into me as he growled his deep approval at how I was making him feel. His hand pressed lightly on my head as I took him fully and held him there while he bucked and released into my throat. I lapped up every bit of lovejuice he offered me, not wanting to waste a drop.

I purred out a huge sigh of satisfaction that my Edwardian man had let me pleasure him that way and I loved him all the more for it.

**A/N: Yay!! Lemons!! Juice enough for you?**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. Special thanks also go to Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	22. Be Careful What You Wish For

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **Luscious leaking lemons

**Dedication: **To Gary Lightbody – I am forever thankful for his songwriting talents!

**Music:** Snow Patrol - Lifeboats. This one gets me going every time - enough said!

**CHAPTER 22: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR**

**BPOV:**

Morning light stole in through the bedroom window, shepherding out the end of another night of loving by my husband and heralding another freshly-minted day, the first day of October as it happened.

"White rabbits!" I said to Edward, tickling him and pinching his forearm. "Pinch, punch, first of the month!"

It was silly but I couldn't help it.

"Ow, that hurt MrsC – trying to torture me now?" he laughingly said as he flipped me back under him, pinning my arms above my head on the pillows, so I couldn't attack him anymore.

I grinned up at him. "Just getting you back for the hours of loving you put me through last night. For an old man you sure like to pack alot into the night-time. Are you stocking up for the winter season or planning on going on a sabbatical that you haven't told me about?"

He laughed. "Hey don't knock it! You know how it is – us old men with trophy wives have to make sure they're kept happy. I mean otherwise who else would look at a centenarian like me?"

"I'm not that superficial – I can see beyond your wrinkly looks straight to the bank accounts." I snagged a kiss from him and wriggled under him as much as I could, enjoying his bulge which I could feel growing again between my legs and brushing against me as I arched towards it as steathily as I could. "Of course now I've had your child, you're trapped and will have to take the consequences of your aged lust."

"And what might those be?" Edward cocked an eyebrow at me saucily.

"Oooh now let me see.....a lifetime of kisses" I looked up hopefully at him.

He gave me kiss no.1 of those lifetime kisses. "Uh-hmm, what else?"

"Umm .......a forever of making me tingle." I licked my lips salaciously.

He licked around my jawline and down my neck as far as he could reach, making my toes curl in the process. "Uh-hmm, what else? I need to know if I'm prepared to pay the price" He continued to lick.

"Umm ........a few centuries of worshipping my body." I huffed out as he hit a particularly ticklish spot.

Still holding my arms, he moved his lips down to my breasts to lick and tease them as I twitched involuntarily to his erotic tongue-work. "Uh-hmm, I think I can handle that. What else?" he asked breathily.

I was wriggling with exquisite pleasure as he slowly teased and worked his magic on me. Fighting for concentration, I groaned the only thing I could think of that would bring this "sexual torture" to a climax.

"Ummm and, well this one might be too much for you, but if you don't mind, a millennia or so of having your way with me and making me scream with pleasure. I demand atleast one orgasm per day." I smirked, throwing down the challenge.

"I'll see what I can do" he mumbled. He moved his tongue as low down my body as he could reach, still pinning me to the spot, until he hit the jackpot and made me gasp with the intensity of his tongue in my folds. A memory of that movie about Earth girls being easy flashed through my head - the scene when the alien's tongue is revealed and the girls all clamour for him! Yep I had my own alien right here. _Holy shit, that's so so good!_

Edward's tongue-loving was sublime and his energy hit me in waves – he was humming with sexual tension and when his face moved back to mine, his eyes were coal black with lust. "I wish you'd stop punishing me like this for marrying you and having my child." he muttered. "I'm going to have to teach you a lesson MrsC".

With that, he lifted me up and flipped me over onto my belly. _Uh-oh, what now?_

Pushing a pillow under my hips, Edward knelt behind me, parting my legs. He growled approval. "Jeez, but you're beautiful from this angle too!"

An instant later, he lifted me up to his groin. "I hope you take heed of this lesson MrsC" he whispered near my ear as he bent forward to kiss my back, sliding into me and pushing himself in quickly to the hilt. _Oh my good God! That's intense!_

My insides twitched with the overload of being filled to capacity. He withdrew and then pushed back in hard. And repeated several times, each time with a shorter withdrawal until he was steadily pounding into me and making my head ring. His hands snaked under me to fondle my breasts briefly as he covered me quite forcefully, making me moan louder with the pleasure and intensity of his rhythm. Each time I made to move up onto my arms, he would gently but firmly push me down, wanting to keep this particular angle of attack.

"Is that good?" he asked in a whisper, on one of his passes. "Do you want to scream yet?"

All I could do was growl and moan into the bed.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you." he prompted as his ardour increased and my own moaning increased with it. "What was that you said?"

_Was it good? It was mind-blowing! _"Aaagh yes, yes it's good...." I exclaimed, my breath hitching as I became more overwhelmed with sensations. "How could...you know... this would be ...so damned good Edward?" _If he'd done this on honeymoon I'd have shrieked the house down!_

He leaned forward to purr in my ear "Years of uninvited images from my family's lovemaking had to pay off somewhen. Am guessing I'm a fast learner, am I right?" I could only nod my head, gripping hold of the sheets. He chuckled and renewed his attentions, licking a trail along my back to my intense groans. I heard the sheets tear under my hands as I gripped too forcefully, hanging on for dear life while I bucked under him.

I was like melted cheese under Edward and could only swoon with pleasure!

At the ripping sound, he pulled me up to vertical and continued his pleasuring of me, easing up a little as I settled into my new position on my knees and back against his chest. He clasped my breast with one hand, and my mound with the other, and nibbled my neck sending fresh sensations down my body. His shaft buried deep within me, Edward was a sexual god. I was being assaulted on all fronts, wide open and complete putty in his hands.

I could never have imagined as a human that making love with Edward would be so overwhelming. I knew he'd be good because our mutual attraction was so intense, but little could I imagine just how good it would all be. As a human, my hips would have been dislocated by now and my skin a mass of bruises. It would have been worth the discomfort though.

My mind tried capturing the image of me as I now was, spread for Edward's pleasure and tingling madly from head to foot under his caresses and kisses. He was all over me like a rash as I rushed headlong to my first orgasm of the morning. Edward captured my orgasmic cry with his mouth as he bent over me and we rode it out together, my muscles clamped around him thrashing wildly while I overheated inside.

As I gushed and seeped over him, he kept gently moving inside me, somehow holding himself back - he evidently wanted more and I secretly thrilled to that thought. It was beyond sexy!

He held me in his embrace while I shuddered to a stop, sighing into his mouth. He wanted to capture me completely and I was happy to surrender to him at that moment.

His mix of lust and tenderness was divine and like a fortified wine. Lightly warmed, its hit was more intense and satisfying. I could only think of the one time I'd been allowed mulled wine at Christmas by my mother and had really enjoyed the richness of it, rolling it over my tongue to take in the whole heady bouquet. Edward's intense honey musk swirled around me now and made a rich experience that much deeper.

I realised that our lovemaking could only get better over time as we got better at reading each other's needs and anticipated the glorious feelings that we knew would be coming to us. I knew we would drive each other wild as time went on.

I put my hand up to Edward's head and pulled him in for a deeper kiss, now able to start moving myself over him and renew the rhythm he was patiently waiting for. He was still rock hard so I knew that another good time was ahead and could only wonder at his stamina at sustaining his arousal. I knew that teenage lads were easily aroused but had initially thought they didn't hang around when they got going.

Edward was proving to be an exception to that rule and I could only think it was down to his tremendous self-control. I didn't mind that one bit as long as I could satisfy him and bring him the pleasure and release he deserved.

His submission to me the other night had proved that he could learn and accept my loving of him, that he didn't always have to be alpha male with me. We were learning each other's bodies very well and had already found a compatibility that was mind-blowing and very satisfying in itself. Our libido was well-matched and being vampires, we could make love for hours without tiring, as we had already proved many times over the past fortnight or more.

All these thoughts scattered through my brain in only a few seconds as my body reacted automatically to Edward's attentions and in fact they served to help me appreciate Edward's loving nature all the more. I smiled inwardly and deepened my kiss further on him, wanting to suck my beautiful man right in. He went with me on it and my heart sang that he was so responsive to me. I was beyond lucky.

Our current favourite song was going through my head and I set my rhythm to the song playing internally and released his mouth to start crooning the words. Edward's breath hitched, and he moaned and hugged me more fiercely as he rocked in and out of me. I knew he would be playing the song in his own head, with his purrfect recall.

"God, you make me want to stay inside you forever" he muttered as his strokes got stronger. I was twingeing inside and aching for him to release into me. I keep crooning thesong.

"That's it baby, that's good" he whispered in my ear, holding on tight and nibbling my neck.

My mind was replaying the slow driving beat which washed over me as I gently rocked against Edward. I could tell he was blown away by this whole sensual experience and just hanging on until I'd finished gently singing the song.

Even though part of my mind was hooked into the song and the words, the rest of it was plugged very firmly into what Edward was doing to me and my own body's responses to him. What had started out as a purely carnal interlude had morphed into something that much deeper with him and I loved it and truly adored him for giving in so completely to the sexual side of his vampire nature. I could prove to him that being a vampire was not all bad.

Edward's right hand was at my clit as I rocked back and forward so his finger could stroke it subtly. His left arm was wrapped around me, holding me to him, but placed on my right breast. My hand was on his. His shaft was buried deeply within me sliding slickly in and out, filling me and bringing us both closer to that glorious moment of release. My other arm was back around his head, so his lips were at my ear as his eyes stayed shut enjoying the experience.

The moment I stopped crooning, Edward released into me at length with a sigh which satisfied me pretty well even before I climaxed, which I did anyway because Edward had that effect on me. His pleasure was my pleasure. I sighed too as my next climax hit new heights and went on for an extended period.

I wasn't too sure if I would ever walk again after this latest piece of heaven on earth. Perhaps they'd find us there in a hundred years' time, glued in a blissful embrace, gone to grace forever. Romeo & Juliet in eternal ecstasy.

I could just imagine Emmett's comments about that!

**A/N: Mmmmmm lemony enough? I could write about Edward's lovemaking forever if you'll let me! Tender enough? Edward is coming on nicely, so to speak. Now can you understand why he loves her so much? Why he'll fight to the death for her? Why he'll take on the Volturi for her in the end? And why she'll stand by his side in the face of death once she has made sure that Renesmee will be safe?**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. **


	23. Things to Smile About

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **No lemons in this one**. **What?! Their early morning session wasn't enough for you?? Oh ok then....you've twisted my arm....lemon vodka straight up with a twist!

**Dedication: **For Jen (Totteacher)

**Music vibe: **Uncle Kracker - "Smile"

**CHAPTER 23: THINGS TO SMILE ABOUT**

**BPOV:**

We'd only been cuddling for a short while after our dawn lovemaking, when the octopus wrapped round me moved one of his tentacles to stroke my face and warn me that Renesmee was slowly stirring from sleep in her room. We now had a very good reason to rouse ourselves from our tangled embrace.

Edward dropped a kiss on my lips and blurred to the closet. He pulled out new sweats & Tshirts for us to throw on quickly, so we could be there for when Renesmee was fully awake. As I looked at him, Edward's dazzling smile knocked me sideways just as it always did. I felt like I'd won the lottery again today.

I could tell he was as excited as me at the prospect of seeing our daughter. We hurried down the corridor hand in hand, eager to see her. Standing by her crib, we watched spellbound as she came to properly from her dreams. She stretched and yawned, blinking her chocolate eyes for a moment, and then looked up towards us. A massive smile broke across her face, flashing those purrfect white teeth as her rosy cheeks dimpled. It was such a beautiful sight that it went straight to my heart and I hitched a breath as I did each morning when I first saw her for the day. She was the only reason I could bear to leave Edward's embrace.

She held her arms aloft, asking to be picked up. Edward reached in and brought her up to our side where we could kiss and cuddle her. Her hot body was instantly calming and her fresh smell made us re-connect with her. I felt a huge jolt of morning love surge through me.

We both kissed her madly as her answering smiles made our hearts leap. Our eyes scanned her for overnight changes and I could certainly detect some - as to her length and hair growth. Her impossibly long lashes seemed longer too - I guessed she would take after Edward whose long dark lashes framed his gorgeous golden eyes and made them so stunning. She might have had Swan eyes and hair, but she was a Cullen through and through where her other looks were concerned.

We held her hands to each of our faces as she looked between us, gazing intently at our faces in turn.

Images of butterflies, sunshine, feeding bottle, Edward and me flashed past. She threw one in of Jacob as a bonus where she was looking over his shoulder to the living room of the main house, seeing the family from baby's eye view. Then came the bottle again. It was breakfast time for the baby as she made sucking noises.

Edward went to get properly dressed while I quickly washed Renesmee and changed her into a new outfit. She would only be wearing it an hour or two before the girls would discard it and put her in something else to photograph her in after Carlisle had measured her. Renesmee laughed delightedly as I tickled her and smoothed her body with hand-rubs. She never seemed to mind our cold hands, which was just as well as we couldn't stop touching her. She mouthed "Momma" so I kissed her fists in delight.

Edward commented from the other room that we'd neglected to store some blood for her at the cottage but once we mentioned it Esme or Alice, that would be put right quickly. We wouldn't be able to store much, given blood's shelf life, but it would be useful to keep some on site. Carlisle would be put to the test supplying enough to satisfy Renesmee's needs as her growth spurt was continuing.

While I dressed, Edward rammed a few baby items in a bag and we were ready to roll. I grabbed the bag, Edward grabbed Renesmee, putting her in the bodysling on his chest. We moved swiftly through the woods, hand in hand, to the main house where we were greeted by the family after our "long" night away. Renesmee's bottle was produced in a matter of seconds by an impatient Rosalie who set to work feeding our daughter and holding an earnest one-way conversation with her.

We spent the morning just hanging out and not doing much of anything. Renesmee was measured and her physical changes logged as was the daily routine at the moment. She was passed from one family member to another as we all debated how to spend the day. We didn't really reach any decisions, so just sprawled with each other for a while, catching up on overnight news (theirs) and talking about wishes (mine).

Jacob and his pack swung by for their customary food pit stop and chat, and hugs with Renesmee of course. I was surprised at how used to my vampirehood Jacob had become. His about-turn on my condition was heartening and we could now spend time just chatting and teasing rather than arguing or having difficult discussions.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how well I'd adapted to my new life and knew I was lucky to have been welcomed into such a caring family who would go to any lengths to make each other happy. Their contentment was contagious and they were beyond happy that Edward and I were madly in love and having some fun after all the drama of recent weeks.

Alice started trying to persuade me to do some more online shopping, to get used to the idea of spending money and making it work for me in ways that were fun. Edward's generosity knew no bounds as he encouraged me to do the same, but to be honest, all I was interested in was cuddling him and my daughter in about equal measures. "Stuff" could wait.

My dad would be coming for his afternoon visit in a few short hours and I wanted to conserve my mental energies for dealing with him.

It was still early days for dealing with his scent and although my control was pretty good, it was still painful to be in Charlie's presence. Speaking with him was an exercise in trying to swallow venom and cravings at the same time as conducting a coherent conversation. I was glad of my new supersized vampire brain, otherwise I might have sounded like I was spaced out on drugs.

Poor Charlie didn't realise what a struggle it was for me to be near him but he knew something was off as I nearly always tensed when he hugged me hello and goodbye. Edward always hovered nearby and if he didn't already have Renesmee in his arms, he adopted the technique of taking Renesmee off me to hand over to Charlie, so I could keep a little more distance between us when his scent kicked up a notch at his excitement in holding his beloved granddaughter and his blood heated up so enticingly.

Charlie thoroughly enjoyed his contact with Renesmee and for the most part, she acted in his presence as a normal baby, apart from the fact she had this startling head of hair which was far longer than normal on a baby of her age. The fact she had so many teeth was unusual but it happened in the human world too so we could brush that off as pure chance. She could in fact speak quite a few words now but was always silent in her grandfather Swan's presence, and she was also careful not to project images on him. Carlisle was a different matter where speaking was concerned, even though Renesmee's preferred method of communication was by touch.

It blew me away that we had such an intelligent child who could differentiate between the different needs of her two grandfathers.

In the meantime, I was keeping my mother happy with emailing photos each day, taken from the big catalogue being built up by Alice and Rosalie - they took photos virtually every hour that she was with us - and we would eke these out over time, giving the lie to her actual development.

That reminded me about the photoframe which had appeared yesterday in Renesmee's room, so I thanked the girls for their thoughtfulness. It turned out to have been Esme who spotted it online and Alice who went ahead and purchased it. I also wondered what would mysteriously appear next time we visited our daughter's room - I had yet to get my head around the notion of the forthcoming Princess Bedroom that Alice had promised!

Esme shouted that she needed a hand with some chores around the house, so I opted to help her in order to pass the time. We enjoyed our one-on-one chat as we set about organising the back bedroom, clearing away items no longer needed. We were turning the room into a generic guest room of sorts to cater for Renesmee at times, but mostly Seth who needed somewhere to crash out as a growing teenager.

Edward being Edward, he gravitated to my side after about an hour and allegedly made himself useful. He hindered more than he helped of course, unable to keep his hands off me, goosing me when I got near enough. It was nice to see Esme almost buzzing with happiness at our lightheartedness. We all muddled through for an hour or so before I caught on that Edward was chafing at the bit to get me on his own for a while. He liked to help Carlisle with his researches on Renesmee's condition when he could, but Jasper and Emmett were doing alot towards this. In Carlisle's absence, Edward preferred to spend time with me and with our daughter during daylight hours.

Edward commented more than once that he wanted to take me out hunting before Charlie arrived, to help me through the subsequent hour or two of his visit. On hearing that the third time, Esme pushed us out of the door and insisted we attend to my needs ahead of anything else. I had no qualms about shooting off to hunt as Renesmee was in safe hands - at least seven pairs at a quick count!

Leah of course was prowling around outside and threw daggers at Edward and me as we passed, giving us a wide berth as she didn't trust my control yet. Edward chuckled at Leah as she growled at him. Her refusal to come into the house, unless forced to, had caused amusement amongst most of the family and concern to Esme who was worried about her well-being. However, Leah being strong-minded and independent in this fashion meant that we did not take the wolves for granted.

We made our break for the woods and instead of running deep into the interior as Edward probably expected, I veered off towards our cottage, with him giving chase. A huge smile was plastered across his face as he sped down the trail behind me, guessing what I had in mind. I kind of felt like we were cutting school by being out by ourselves in daylight and Edward was right in wanting me to feed before Charlie's visit. There was a serious purpose to our trip outside: we couldn't take too long about it, but there was no reason why we couldn't have some fun first. I _seriously_ needed it now that I'd picked up on Edward's body language.

The excitement of Edward chasing me made me tingle all over and we soon arrived at our cottage in a tangle of grabbed kisses and fumbles, trying to undress each other before we reached the cottage. The clothes were off fully the second we made it through our front door as I headed for the bedroom.

Edward caught me before we even made it there. He attacked and threw me onto the huge leather couch as I giggled wildly. This was a new location for us and I knew he wanted to christen every room on the house, given time - I imagined less than a week would do it.

My gorgeous husband landed on the couch just after me and I was very glad of the huge deep cushions that formed the base of it as I held my arms out to him. He covered me with his body and lunged for my mouth, pushing me deep into the cushions as his lips connected with mine, putting his delicious scent in my mouth.

We kissed long and hard as Edward caressed me, setting my skin on fire. He peppered me with kisses, gradually working his tongue around my neck and chest as I squirmed with pleasure underneath him, debating whether to use my superior strength to push him off the couch and onto the floor so I could ride him on top.

I decided I was too comfortable where I was and just let him worship me, which he seemed more than happy to do. He took extra care to make me feel good, especially when he hooked my legs up over his shoulders so he could go deeper into me. His exuberant delight in pinning me to the couch was more than ample reward for my decision to stay where I was. He made passionate love to me and used the bounce in the cushions to good effect - we christened the furniture in style and the cottage vibrated to sound of our growls and cries of pleasure as he brought us both to climax in fairly short but satisfying order! _Mmm definitely worth playing hooky for! Boy I needed that!_

We retrieved our scattered clothes and got dressed again. Even though we'd just made out on the couch, I still found it hard to keep my hands off Edward's glorious body as I reached up for yet another long kiss. He groaned and, with great discipline, set me down firmly, reminding me that I needed to feed as Charlie would be due at the house soon.

Pushing sex to the back of mind with great effort, I now focused on getting a meal to satisfy my craving for blood. We headed back out into the woods and took off to a favoured part where we usually found the deer that suited me for now. We didn't have time to go further afield for more interesting prey and Edward was happy for the moment to stay within limited options. It didn't take us long to round up a couple of small deer for me and a larger one for Edward. It had only taken about half an hour since we'd left the cottage - plenty of time to return to the house before Charlie arrived.

When we'd disposed of the carcasses, I found I was still a messy eater which Edward found funny. _Funny huh?_ His cackles of laughter made me see red. Growling with irritation, I wiped my hands on his T shirt, much to his further amusement. I lunged for his head and rubbed my hands in his hair, messing it up and making it greasy with blood. I took a swipe at his face just for the hell of it and shocked him with my fast movement. He looked like he'd got war paint on his cheeks now.

The next swipe I took didn't connect properly as he trapped my arms in his grip and hauled me up to his chest. "God but you smell hot when you're angry!" he breathed into my mouth. My irritation turned to lust faster than I could blink. The smell of blood and Edward's desire were a dangerous combination and we plummetted to the ground right where we were as Edward ripped my leggings and underwear off and took me on the forest floor urgently and noisily.

I growled satisfaction at the frantic coupling, as my "gentle" Edward gave in to his baser vampire nature after tasting blood and let rip like an animal. His animal spirit was loose out there. He was glorious and fierce, pounding into me as his lust gathered speed. I didn't care whether I climaxed or not. I just hung on for the ride, enjoying every one of his strokes, every one of his grunts, every one of his ardent kisses, soaking in my feral lover's vibes and letting him do what he wanted. I didn't want him to stop, but I was also desperate for him to spill into me so he got his release.

Through the red mist of my own desires, I felt this was all about him, not me, and I kept purring as he pounded strong and hard into me. His cry of release was guttural and wild, his response natural and free, his expression one of total absorption in the moment as he bucked and shuddered over me. If he'd been human, he'd have been covered in sweat from his frantic efforts.

I on the other hand felt totally languid now, purring satisfaction at Edward's efforts. He opened his eyes and looked down on me, eyes still dark with lust. He scanned my face and gazed at me as I smiled up at him.

"Well you look like the cat that got the cream." he said quietly.

"Oh yeah...." I replied emphatically and arched an eyebrow at him.

He let out a huff as he smirked. "You drive me wild."

"Oh yeah...." I repeated, glorying in how I felt right then and knowing we'd probably have a repeat performance before the day was out.

"Um...sorry I got a bit rough there. Are you ok?" a look of chagrin passed over his face.

"Oh yeah...." I said again, pulling him down for another kiss.

***

Charlie never did work out why we kept smirking at each other during his visit.

Emmett's curiosity was piqued as he stood there with arms folded, watching us keenly and making pointed observations just outside of Charlie's hearing. He'd noticed we'd changed clothes and our hair was still wet. Alice just smiled knowingly and Jasper smirked behind his history book. Rosalie sighed and rolled her eyes alot, much to Esme's amusement. Esme herself just glowed with satisfaction. Carlisle emerged from his study to greet Charlie and distract him a little, all the while staring pointedly at each of us as a warning to behave.

It was the best visit by Charlie yet as far as I was concerned because I found myself too distracted by other things to focus on the call of his blood. As a treatment for diluting bloodlust, the experience of Edward's ardent love-making was definitely a prescription that even Carlisle couldn't trump!

***

**A/N: I need wiping down with a damp cloth now.... have just done viewing no.11 of New Moon - looking at Robward with different eyes, imagining him cut loose finally....**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. **


	24. Honey Stand Alone Chapter

**Disclaimer: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **Lemon martini - dirty!

**Dedication: **For Yolanda.

**Music vibe: **Led Zep - Black Dog.

**A/N: PLEASE NOTE THIS HAS ENDED UP AS A STAND-ALONE CHAPTER THAT WROTE ITSELF AND I DIDN'T WANT TO CHANGE IT. IT IS OUT OF SEQUENCE WITH THE REST OF THIS STORY AND TAKES PLACE AFTER THE DECEMBER SHOWDOWN WITH THE VOLTURI. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL RESUME THE ORIGINAL STORY TIMELINE.**

**CHAPTER 24: HONEY**

**BPOV:**

I had just about finished laughing myself stupid when Edward came and swept me back onto my feet, hauling me up from the ground, chuckling at my own pratfall from laughing so much. I hadn't bellylaughed like that in a long time.

I'd just witnessed Jacob completely mis-time a pounce on his prey and run straight into a tree, stunning himself. He had stood there shaking his head for a while to get the ringing to stop.

From the look on Jacob's face now, he wasn't impressed either with himself or with me. Nessie's giggles of delight mixed with my own as she sat part-way up the tree behind me, on a branch watching her mother collapse helplessly on the forest floor and looking over to Jacob's furry embarrassment.

Once Edward had me on my feet, I kissed his cheek and immediately leapt up to join Nessie in the tree, getting out of Jacob's way as he headed over in our direction all disgruntled.

Going hunting with Jacob had its upsides. As well as making me laugh, he triggered my daughter's competitive hunting instinct very well. When her father was around, she tended to mob him for a share in his kill and, push-over that he was, he always relented.

Jacob and she would however race through the forest trying to be the first one to snare something and even though he adored her just as much as Edward did, he encouraged her to push her boundaries more than Edward. Edward's over-protective side tended to impede her at times because he fussed about her hurting herself and being too ambitious. Jacob, on the other hand, treated Nessie more like a tomboy and dared her to do more.

With Nessie safe in Jacob's care, Edward could concentrate on my hunting efforts more and also sneak kisses from me when he thought our companions weren't looking. I had already fed once so far today, having not run into a tree while leaping on my young deer earlier. I wasn't finished hunting yet, but was not over-hungry either, thanks to Edward's constant urging to feed most days. His eyes always darkened with pride and desire when I hunted and fed and, depending on who we had for company, we either dabbled in or denied our desires after I'd finished feeding. Today we would have to deny them temporarily.

Edward scaled the tree to join Nessie and me as we all looked down on Jacob's upturned russett face. I continued to chuckle down at him as he curled his lip at me growling half-heartedly.

"Got a headache?" I asked innocently.

"Oh Momma, you're funny" chimed Nessie. "Jacob doesn't get headaches."

"I know that sweetheart, but you have to admit that was some bang on the head he gave himself. I should report him for cruelty to trees!"

I teased Jacob with a cheeky smile and wagging finger as he stretched out his full length up the trunk of the tree, extending a paw to try snagging my swinging leg. He was still a foot or so shy of reaching me so I was safe.

"If I come down there, will you promise not to eat me?" I beamed a smile at him.

Jacob moved back from the tree and with a huff, settled on the ground to wait us out.

"Think I'll take my talisman with me" I muttered to Edward.

He made a scoffing noise and rolled his eyes. "We could always leap from tree to tree and stay above his head." he offered with a shrug.

"Nah, I'm not Jane and you're not Tarzan, babe." I gave him another peck on the cheek, then took hold of Nessie and dropped to the ground with her in my arms. Edward followed behind immediately, hitting the earth with a solid thud and putting a protective arm around us.

"You ready to have another try at catching something?" I asked Nessie. She nodded. "You, Jacob?" He whined and got to his feet, trembling with eagerness. I set Nessie down and let her walk over to Jacob. She gave him a huge hug and having lulled him, she set off running again without warning, shouting "Race you!" over her shoulder. Jacob coughed out a grunt of disgust, wheeled around and took off after her, tail streaming behind him.

I smiled to myself at their enthusiasm and made to follow. Edward inevitably caught hold of my Tshirt to swing me in for a kiss. Job done, we set off after the other two, while I marvelled at their turn of speed.

Nessie was getting faster each day and would soon be matching Edward at this rate of progress. I wondered at her stamina and worried momentarily about when she was ever going to stop growing. Pushing that last thought aside, I sped up and followed Edward into the forest after our gorgeous daughter and Jacob. I hoped the trees were safe from any more Jacob headbutts and presumed we'd catch them up when one of them caught something. Hunting was alot of fun in a different way with Jacob around.

***

Arriving back at the house after our hunt, we all trooped in well fed and contented. Nessie and Jacob were full of themselves and talking nineteen to the dozen, plonking themselves down on the couch next to Emmett and Rose to tell them of our adventures. Nessie naturally filled them in on Jacob's mishap, to Emmett's uproarious laughter.

Edward had his arm slung around my waist when we walked through the door and I could tell he was buzzing with quiet need to get me alone for a moment. Jasper beamed a huge smile at us as we headed straight up the stairs, almost certainly towards Edward's old room.

"Just going to clean up" said Edward over his shoulder.

"Yeah right...." chirped up Jasper in his laconic drawl. "I can feel how dirty you are from here!"

I heard Alice's giggle from somewhere beyond the living room. Nothing was sacred in this house.

"We shouldn't be doing this, you know, Edward" I commented as we reached the top corridor. "It's rude to shove it in their faces."

"Nonsense, they expect nothing less from newlyweds. I'd hate to disappoint them."

His grinned his sexy grin at me and I was done for. A second after the bedroom door closed behind us, Edward had me in a frantic embrace, pinned up against the door with his tongue in my mouth. His hands were everywhere touching me and trying to pull items of clothing off me.

"Easy cowboy," I muttered, pulling back from his mouth. "Leave me something I can wear afterwards. We don't want Nessie getting wind of this."

Edward's only response was to groan into my mouth and keep on kissing me even more ardently than before. Our jeans were on the floor already and with assistance, I stepped out of my undies and then removed his boxer shorts. We left our T shirts on. Edward pulled me up onto his waist and moved a wooden chair under the door handle to block it. He then promptly sat on the chair so I was now straddled over him.

"Sitting down on the job eh?" I murmured into his neck.

He gave a dirty chuckle and positioned me over him. "Come to daddy!" he murmured huskily, impaling me swiftly on his erection.

I let out a gasp of pleasure. "Mmm this is nice. Think I've changed my mind....."

I was just able to touch the floor with my toes and get some leverage. I needn't have worried as Edward would have been more than happy to move me up and down on his manhood, but I decided to set the rhythm for the moment, moving over him as he breathed into my ear. His quiet groans let me know he was enjoying it. Every now and then I withdrew him completely from me, running his shaft up the front of me to stimulate those parts. He let out a hiss of pleasure each time I did that. I impaled myself again immediately afterwards and worked over him again.

It felt so damned good.

Edward couldn't keep from kissing me as I was facing him. I could kiss him forever and this spot on the chair afforded me some control with doing that to my great satisfaction.

As Edward sank back into me time and again, I could feel the tension rising in me and I knew I wouldn't last much longer and neither would he. _I wish this could last forever_ was all I could think. Edward must have been reading my mind because not long after, he stopped me moving over him and lifted me off him. He turned me around so I was facing away from him.

This was a new position for us.

He pulled me back to his groin, angling me slightly forward and then rammed up into me from behind. I nearly screamed at this new sensation as he held on to me, guiding himself in and out of me. It was intense and I was completely under his control as I held on to his knees for balance. I hooked my legs behind the back chair legs so I could control my own movements and it felt luscious. Edward growled into my back and panted at the slightly different sensations.

"Do you like this?" he asked in a whisper.

"God, yes," I whispered back as he kept moving in and out rhythmically. "But I don't know how long I can hold out" I gasped as wave after wave of good vibrations surged through me as he stimulated me from this new angle.

"I want you facing me when you come" he muttered. "Enjoy this while it lasts."

I twinged with the pleasure of it as he continued to raise and lower me to meet his strokes. After a few minutes, my legs moved forwards of their own volition as I started leaning and groaning into the movement, tightening around his shaft.

Edward took that as his cue and lifted me off him again, spinning me back round to face him as we both panted momentarily.

He placed me over his lap, pausing to look deep into my eyes. His own eyes were black with lust, his pink tongue just visible through his moist parted lips. His erection stood proud underneath me and I moaned at the sight of it and the thought of sitting on that once more.

"This is all for you, Bella baby. He can't wait to taste you again."

"In that case, bring it on!" I murmured and lunged for his mouth, sinking my tongue in his mouth. He pulled me down so my opening was just touching his shaft, pausing again for one torturous moment. I moaned with impatience and tried to grab his erection. He responded by putting his arms under mine, grabbing my shoulders tight so I couldn't reach him. He then pushed me down hard and fast onto his shaft, impaling me to the hilt in one movement.

As my body connected with his groin and Edward sucked on my tongue, I felt him convulse and release into me, spilling his seed warmly and copiously. He sighed into my mouth, not letting it go, gripping my head and keeping me glued to his roving tongue. I felt overwhelmed by his energy but wasn't quite there with my own climax.

After a couple more thrusts of release, Edward muttered "I want to try something a little bit special to make you come."

He moved a hand to my backside and did something he'd never done before - he pushed a finger up inside my behind.

My automatic reaction was to tense over him and almost pull his shaft further into me. The sensation from the finger was strong and erotic and a bit mindblowing.

I was so turned on by his kiss, his release and the angle of attack that I came immediately, my muscles pulsating madly around his manhood as well as his finger. Edward kept his mouth clamped to mine so I couldn't yell as I seeped all over him with abandon!

The whole thing left me breathless as he smiled broadly into our kiss. He pulled away for a moment and wrapped his arms around me. Sat with foreheads touching, we did not move an inch otherwise as we calmed down and he slowly subsided within me.

"Oh my good God....you could've warned me!" I whispered at him.

"And spoil the surprise?" His grin was a little wicked and he waggled his eyebrows at me. "Unless I'm mistaken, you seemed to like that."

I felt a little embarrassed by the fact I'd enjoyed it but I couldn't look him in the face. He cupped my chin as he guessed how I was feeling.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. Look Bella, if it made you feel good, it's not wrong." He kissed my cheek. "And anyway, I'm certainly looking forward to trying this position again. Who knew an old chair could be so much fun?"

I nodded and couldn't really say anything for the moment, so I just concentrated on the afterglow and pulling myself together to face the family again downstairs. When I'd calmed down, a thought crossed my mind.

"Did they hear us?"

Edward nodded his head. "Yeah, but don't worry – they're otherwise occupied now so we can make our escape unseen, except for Jacob of course. He's been keeping Nessie occupied so she didn't notice us disappearing."

"Ok, let's get cleaned up and head back downstairs."

***

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed this "extra" chapter. Mmm naughty but nice :D I saw Little Ashes this week and oh my goodness.....Anyway for some reason it triggered the idea.....I can't think how....!**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. **


	25. Things in Mind

**Disclaimer: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Warning: **Hmmm nice refreshing gently squeezed lemons over ice...

**Dedication: **For RiaMaria – enjoy :D

**Music vibe:** The Killers - Can You Read My Mind?

**CHAPTER 25: THINGS IN MIND**

**BPOV:**

"Edward?" I was in the nursery with Renesmee getting her dressed. She was now 23 days old and another couple of millimetres longer than yesterday.

"What is it, love?" His voiced carried through from our bedroom.

"Can we go over to Charlie's house today?"

"Er....yeah sure...." I noticed the caution in his voice. "What for? You want to take Nessie for a visit or something?"

"No I don't want to take _Renesmee_ for a visit or something." I rolled my eyes and huffed as my traitor husband called our daughter by her nickname. "I just want to quickly pop over there to pick up some bits and pieces I think I left behind."

"Well it wouldn't take us long. Technically. The one thing that worries me is the scent of your dad in the house and what it might do to you."

I thought about this a moment. "Well given I can just about tolerate Charlie's presence here at the house, I imagine I'd be able to handle being over at his place for a short while, wouldn't you?"

"What's so all-fired important that you need to go and collect? Couldn't Alice get it for you?" Edward ambled through from the bedroom.

"Um no. I want to have a look myself. Things were so rushed before the wedding that I didn't feel I got everything."

Edward leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and his customary crooked grin. "Trust me - if there was anything worth bringing, then Alice would have brought it, but if you want to go over there, then by all means I'll take you."

"Thanks." I felt relieved. The trip over there was only an excuse really and I was glad that Edward couldn't read my mind. It was sentimental, but I just wanted to reconnect a little with my old self and I felt sure that being in my old room would do that for me. While I loved being a vampire now and Edward's wife and equal, I felt I'd lost a little of myself and some of our old relationship in the transformation. Some of the memories were dimming already and I wanted to go over there sooner rather than later.

I tickled Renesmee's tummy, raising a giggle from her, and then picked her up to hand her to Edward while I got ready to go out. I could hear him crooning to her as I cleaned myself up and got dressed. Fifteen minutes later we were on our way to the main house for Renesmee's breakfast and morning "communion" with the family.

We spent a couple of hours there as I mentally prepared for our side journey. We decided to make the trip before lunch while I was still well fed from the previous afternoon's hunt. A smile crossed my face as I recalled that particularly satisfying event. I caught Edward's look of curiosity and just smiled at him.

I rang Charlie to warn him I'd be stopping by the house and not to be surprised if I disturbed anything. He confirmed he couldn't be there as there had been an incident which required his presence. He said he would be sorry to miss me but he'd probably come over to the Cullen house early afternoon, all being well.

Alice wanted to come along with Edward and me to my old home, but I felt strongly I didn't want anybody there except for Edward. In fact I was glad my dad wouldn't be there as I wanted time to freely roam the house and not have any other witnesses to any potential reaction I might have. Alice was gracious in her acknowledgement of that and when Edward asked her if she foresaw any problems, she indicated I would be fine - in fact "more than just fine".

With that enigmatic reply, she and Jasper decided to leave the house quickly to go on a sudden side trip of their own, leaving Edward with an amused smile on his face and me with a perplexed expression. As Carlisle had warned me, I would have to get used to being one step behind in these Edward/Alice silent exchanges.

Edward moved his Volvo out of the garage in readiness for the journey and waited for me to join him. I kissed Renesmee goodbye with a promise of being back soon for lots of cuddles. My gorgeous husband kissed my hand when I got in the car and he moved us down the driveway at speed, heading towards town.

This would be my first test of driving through Forks and being near humans other than Charlie. As a precaution, Edward had thrown the locks down on the car doors, but they would be no obstacle if I decided to break free in a hurry.

I sat beside Edward nervously as he drove with one eye on me, his body language indicating concerned alertness but not outright tension. Every now and then he would touch my cheek in reassurance and I would smile weakly at him. He was trying to distract me from looking out through the windows at the humans we passed by. It didn't take long to scoot through town and out the other side to our house, which was in fact fairly near the Cullens' house as the crow flies, but a longer route by road.

We arrived at the house without incident and I exited from the car with a little trepidation. Edward swiftly moved to my side and held my hand as we walked up the path to the front door. Edward dug out the door key in a blur which no human would have seen. I took a deep breath of fresh air, pausing before we entered the house. Steeling myself, we stepped over the threshold and I walked back into the world I had left behind what seemed like a lifetime ago.

So much had changed in my own experience since I'd left this house as a teenage bride-to-be. I stopped in the hallway and looked at my surroundings. So far as this house was concerned, nothing much had changed at all. Everything I could see in the kitchen was just as I had more or less left it. There were a few dishes in the sink but no other outward sign of anything other than what I would have found in the usual routine of coming home from school. The same could be said for the living room. Even the fleecy blanket I had used so much over the earlier months of the year was still flung carelessly over the back of the couch, almost certainly where I had last thrown it.

I moved towards the blanket without thought to straighten it, but Edward stilled me with a touch to my arm. "Better not."

"Oh. Ok." There went some of my inhaled fresh air.

"Let's go up to your room and get the search over quickly."

We walked up the stairs and towards my room, past Charlie's bedroom. The door was ajar, so I kept my mouth shut and did not breathe until I reached my old bedroom.

The moment I stepped into my old room, I let out an involuntary gasp as several different memories flooded into my consciousness: not wanting to leave my bed for days after Edward left, writing my essays for English class, emailing my mother from the desk over by the wall, leaning out of the window looking for Edward only to nearly faint from shock when I discovered him lying on my bed, being embarrassed by my tatty PJs despite Edward's admiring looks, snuggling up with him for the night and not feeling safe unless he was there. All surfaced quickly and flashed across my internal camera lens.

My thoughts ranged far and wide as I scanned the room. The main thing that hit me was the scent. The smell above all released in me a very basic response, almost like adrenaline. I went into super-alert mode. Venom filled my mouth even though I realised it was in fact my own scent I was inhaling, but a tangier version of it. My hackles rose as my body automatically sought out the "human Bella" producing that enticing scent.

Edward had seen my reaction and stood behind me clasping my arms as my eyes roved the four corners of the room, while I now snarled and tried to come to grips with what my own scent did to me. It was truly weird.

After about five minutes, I steadily gained control and the fire in my throat subsided as my brain urged my body to relax and not to be so silly. Edward wrapped his arms around me and hugged me close to his body. He held me there as I leaned back into him slowly but surely and breathed into his neck, taking in his scent to mask the one around me.

"Why are you putting yourself through this?" he asked me quietly.

"I just needed to re-connect. Didn't realise my body would do this with my own scent. I was prepared for Charlie's scent but not mine. Why doesn't my body recognise it as friendly?"

"Humans don't realise what a body releases in the way of chemicals and pheromones. Vampire senses break them down into component parts for tracking purposes. Everybody has one singular identifying marker in their scent. It's why I could always find you and why I needed to be near you to desensitize myself constantly."

I was gazing up at Edward's face so he dropped a kiss on my upturned face. I looked back at the single bed, remembering how I used to look forward to bedtimes when I knew Edward would join me and lie beside me in a restrained but loving fashion while I went mad with lust or simply fell asleep from exhaustion.

"Looking at that bed, I'm remembering how sweet you smelled to me when you would wait for me while I showered. I couldn't wait to crawl in next to you and sprawl on your chest for the night."

He chuckled in my ear. "You don't know how good you smelled to me back then too. How irresistible you were. How close I came to ravishing you night after night." Edward cuddled into my neck and then walked me towards the bed which was fully made up with my laundered old bedding, much neater than when I used the room daily.

"Tell me about those nights when I was sleeping."

Edward laid himself down on the bed and encouraged me to snuggle up to him, just like old times. He hugged me with one arm and ran his other hand through my hair slowly, taking in a breath while he composed his thoughts.

"Well you remember I used to sing you to sleep, don't you?" I nodded. "It didn't used to take you long to nod off. I loved listening to your breathing change and your heart rate slow down as you sank into a peaceful state and into deeper sleep. I would read or listen to music during that time, comforted by the steady beats of your heart and the cooling of your body."

He squeezed me and smiled as he continued. "Then after a few hours, your heartbeat would increase and I knew you would start talking soon. This was the most beautiful part of my night as I listened to your subconscious fight its way out to me. I couldn't concentrate on anything but listening to you and wondering what you might say."

"I must've spouted some rubbish when I babbled."

"Yes and no. Some of it would be clear as a bell. I loved hearing my name. You would always follow it with a sigh, which was like a dart to my heart. I was thrilled every time you mentioned me and it would be like the very first night I watched you and heard you call my name. I couldn't deny my feelings for you that night as they crystallised from wanting to kill you and turned into the realisation that you would be my obsession from that moment on and that I just had to have you in my life some way, any way."

Edward hugged me tighter and bent down to kiss my temple.

I smiled with secret pleasure. "What else? What did you think about?"

He sighed. "Night after night, you would wriggle in the bed after you'd stopped talking. You would often turn over and push yourself back against me. As your body heated up in cycles, your scent would become almost overpowering. As you dreamed and wriggled around, I would be awash with all sorts of emotions and desires. It took me a good long while to accept that I was feeling pretty normal teenage lust, just magnified a thousand times because of my vampire senses!"

"Why did you never take advantage of me?" I half-turned back towards Edward, looking back up into his face. I could see him grimacing as he recollected those times.

"Bella, my love, like I said, it took me all my control to button down my instincts to ravish you night after night and make you mine because I knew that if I gave in, then at some point, I wouldn't be able to stop from biting you. As you now know, the urge to bite during sex can be overwhelming and you know full well I simply couldn't risk it."

"But you managed to do some heavy petting with me eventually. You had amazing control."

"Yes but remember what I had to go through to reach that stage! After I nearly lost you, I knew I had to give you something in return for your trust in me. I also had to win your trust back. But the bottom line was, I so badly wanted to touch you and by that time, I could do it. You and I both have amazing control. It's what sets us apart from the others much of the time."

"I remember how much I lusted after you and how frustrating that was." I chuckled darkly at those months of sexual near-delirium when visits to the bathroom were frequent and satisfaction only gained through some deft handwork. I was glad that Edward couldn't read my mind at those times too.

Edward smiled down at me. "I know you lusted after me. I could smell it. Couldn't believe my luck that you would feel that way about me, but I was tormented at not being able to follow through fully and show you what you did to me. You didn't know just how damned sexy you were without even trying. It took me a while to overcome my inhibitions and find some other form of release when you weren't around. Emmett thought it was hysterical. Not to mention having a full and frank discussion with Carlisle about sex and semen and my venom!"

"Oh yeah, I couldn't keep my eyes off your bulge sometimes." I giggled at the not-so-vague memory when I looked hopefully at his groin. "To say it drove me mad was an understatement."

"Really? You never said anything. How much did it drive you mad?" Edward stared down at me and licked his lips.

"Ooh probably about as much as I drove you mad in my sleep if what you're telling me is true." I smiled back up at him invitingly. When I ran a hand down his body behind me, I could tell that he had a bulge once more. "Mmmmm, nice..... Do you remember how we never stopped petting once we got started with it?"

"Oh yeah. Thank goodness we could do that, even if it nearly killed me." Edward leaned forward to kiss my cheek and he chuckled in my ear as he held me close. He reached under my top and put a hand on my breast. "Remember how I used to do this to wake you some mornings?"

"Uh-huh. That was a nice way to wake up." I enjoyed it as Edward gentled massaged my breast and flicked the nipple into alertness.

"Remember how I used to do this as well?" His hand moved down and under the waistband of my jeans and undies. His finger started to describe a slow erotic circle around my clitoris.

"Uh-huh. That was wonderful too. I couldn't believe it the first time you agreed to do that to me. Up until then I thought I'd pass out from frustration from you constantly saying no. Instead I nearly passed out at your touch!"

Bringing that recollection to mind was a good reminder that Edward had been as accommodating as he could have been in the circumstances. I realised now how tough that must have been for him.

Edward's finger movements became more insistent. "Hey sweetheart, I've got a package here that needs opening."

I could feel myself getting slicker as Edward's hand worked some magic on me. His groin was now pressing into my backside as we spooned together on the bed fully clothed. He was starting to gently thrust into me as his bulge swelled more urgently. I felt a wave of lust sweep over me and turned my face to his as he reached down to cover my mouth with a deep kiss. His tongue probed and his sweet scent washed over me making me croon and push back into him.

While he kissed me, Edward steadily undid my jeans and started moving them down my legs, swiftly followed by my panties. He undid his own jeans and moved them down, releasing his cock which slid between my buttocks and across my opening. I nearly leapt off the bed with the intensity of feeling and an odd feeling of guilt.

Even though I knew him and his body well enough by now, there was something extra spicy about doing this in my old room. Him touching me this way on my old bed was all my old dreams coming true and added that extra frisson to the occasion.

Edward tugged me in to his body and chuckled a dirty laugh as he realised what was probably going through my mind. "Don't worry, I'll tell you if your old man comes home."

I growled at him. "You'd better or I'll be withdrawing privileges from you for a while."

"As if you could! You can't resist what I've got here for you." He thrust over my opening again, sending spider fingers of pleasure scooting up my insides and tingles between my cheeks. I moaned in agreement with him. He adjusted my position for his next pass, tilting me towards him, and this time rammed his entire length into me from behind in one movement. It felt so good that I shuddered and clenched. He withdrew his full length and then rammed it back in again, sending another wave of pure pleasure up my body. I could only groan and gasp.

"I wanted to do this to you time after time, night after night, again and again....." he breathed into my ear, punctuating each repetition with another thrust. "I wanted to fill you with my manhood and make you scream with pleasure."

He kept thrusting as I bent my head in towards my chest with how good it was making me feel. "I wanted to overload you and make you come all over me. I wanted your wetness all over me. I wanted to pour my seed into you." More thrusting goodness hit me as he whispered these dirty epithets in my ear.

"Oh God...I love it when you talk dirty!"

"I wanted you to feel good all over." He fingered my mound some more, moving from there to my breast and back again. I clenched him tighter as he kept thrusting and thrusting, speeding up steadily. I could feel the coil in me tightening and groaned with deep pleasure.

"I wanted to make you feel as good as you were making me feel. I dreamed of doing this to you in a hundred different ways in a hundred places a hundred times a day. The thought of you gave me such hard-ons that I ran miles to get away from my own desires."

Edward rolled me onto my back and quickly moved over me. He whipped off the clothing from the lower halves of our bodies. In an instant, he was back inside me, looking into my eyes as he made love to me on my old bed after all this time.

I looked up into his face, tracing his lips with my finger and kissing him. "God I wanted you so badly. I had you in my dreams and I so wanted you when I woke up."

"I know, my love. Here I am. This is for all those times I couldn't oblige you."

Edward tenderly kissed me for a moment and then was swept away as his lust took him over. His tongue made love to mine urgently, probing deeper as he went deeper inside me with his manhood. He lifted my hips and drove himself home so hard that I could feel him touch deep inside me.

I couldn't help but shout out when he did that – he grinned and held me still as he thrust still harder until I couldn't hold out anymore and exploded around him, bucking and moaning under him. He swooped in to capture my breaths of release and joined me in our dive headlong over the edge into blissful orgasm.

Edward always made me feel this way. I hoped to goodness it would never ever stop.

I later realised that the most important things I had left behind were things which Alice could not have helped with. Only Edward could ever truly help me.

**A/N: Of course they heavy-petted ahead of the wedding!  
**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. Special thanks also go to AwesomeSauce76, Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTua(dot)Cantante(dot)83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	26. Letting Go

**Disclaimer: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **Full on lusty lemons. Limones con gusto! (Me gustan mucho tambien!) Enfin, j'adore tous que mon Edouard fait avec sa femme. Ça va sans dire que j'adore totalement cet homme sensuel – il est ma raison d'être! Es gibt mir auch großes Vergnügen, daß Edward mein Herz so viel füllt. Nicht wahr?

**Dedication: **For Elise, this special wide-ranging chapter is for giving me such kind support and encouragement.

**Music vibe: **Def Leppard - Animal

**CHAPTER 26: LETTING GO**

**BPOV:**

We'd tidied up the bed and sorted ourselves out, smirking about finally doing the horizontal line-dance in my old room, which Charlie would still go mad about if he found out. The bed had survived the ordeal as Edward had been a gentle lover this time – I wouldn't have liked to explain the bed being a casualty on this visit.

I moved around the room, taking down the remnants of my previous occupancy. I was initially going to leave the string of fairylights up, but Edward persuaded me to take them to the cottage as a reminder of our nights together in this bedroom. He was right. I gave him a hug as I changed my mind and instantly decided to put them up in Renesmee's room so I could tell her about them at some point. It was a silly sentimental thing, but I had precious little to give her from my 18 years of human life.

Fifteen minutes' work saw the room straightened up and presentable for any guests Charlie might have at short notice. I felt alot better this time at leaving the room behind me – it was a chapter very much closed now. My body had become accustomed to my human scent and I only briefly gave it a thought as I stood at the doorway looking one last time before this room belonged to someone else. I smiled with mental relief that we'd been able to put a punctuation mark on, and a line under, my residency in this room by the simple act of making love in it – it was a dream fulfilled and I could let it go now.

By the same token, I was sufficiently calmed as we drifted through the rest of the house, scooping up odd items and straightening things. Edward was pleasantly surprised at my ability to deal with Charlie's scent as another hurdle was overcome. We reminisced about some of our times at the house. Edward reminded me with his own clarity of recall about conversations we'd had which were receding into the mists of time for me already. Here I'd experienced some of my greatest joys and definitely my greatest sorrows. We'd plotted and planned, and left unsaid, all sorts of things quietly at this kitchen table and some seminal moments had occurred around it.

As I recalled them, I could see the ghost of myself reacting to Edward's kiss at the bottom of the stairs, him cuddling me frequently by the worktop, him sitting discussing colleges – a subject which was still up for grabs – and worst of all, me almost kissing Jacob and then receiving news of Edward's panicked intentions. It was hard to believe that all of this had happened in such a relatively short space of time. I felt like I had lived a lifetime in under two short years. I suppose you could say that my real birth and death had occurred in that time.

Edward slung an arm around my shoulders as he saw the cogs of my mind whirring. "Come on love, let's go. There's nothing here for you now without Charlie's company and from clues I've picked up, something tells me he's going to be seeing alot more of Sue Clearwater from here on in. It's just as well we've come over to sort out the odds & ends now. I suspect we'll be attending a wedding celebration before long."

"Really? Oh my goodness. A step-mother?" I thought about that for a few minutes. "Well I'm glad. He couldn't hold a torch for my mother forever and especially not now she has moved on with Phil."

Edward kissed my temple. "Yeah, we'll have our work cut out getting you to attend the wedding safely. Meanwhile, let's head home. I need some Nessiecuddles!" He laughed and started dragging me towards the door. I poked him in the ribs at calling our daughter that infernal nickname again.

We left the house and climbed happily into the Volvo. A thought occurred to me. "I suppose we should've got something for Charlie. It seems a bit clinical to come and clear out more stuff, removing traces of me without giving him something in return."

"Don't worry – we'll be seeing him later when he comes over. If you really want to get him something, I can go shopping if you like. Anything in mind?"

"Yes actually. One of those great little digital photoframes so we can load it up with photos of his granddaughter and family. I think he'd love it."

We discussed where we might find such an item and elected to go back to the house, so he could leave me there and run the errand afterwards. It didn't take us long to get home and a couple of phonecalls elicited the information we needed, so once Edward had played with his daughter and bounced her on his knee for a while, he took off to go and get the gift. He left me with the task of selecting the photos to go on it – a task made easier by Alice & Rose already thanks to their gift to us. I just needed to tweak the selection for Charlie. When Edward got back to the house, he commented that he'd seen Mike in town, who had naturally enquired after me. Edward's pursed lips told me that he hadn't enjoyed whatever thoughts he'd picked up about me. He'd duly given Mike the story of us being back in town for a couple of days to visit from college and being about to leave town again to head back to Dartmouth. We'd have to be careful about being seen in the next few weeks, so as not to arouse suspicions.

In the meantime, I caught up with the morning's photo session of Renesmee – a routine which she always looked goggle-eyed at but enjoyed all the same. As I cuddled her in my lap, she flashed me images of Alice's and Rose's laughing faces from earlier in the day. No sooner had she shown me those images, Alice was tapping me on the shoulder to take some more photos with me and Edward to add to the collection. We duly obliged and enjoyed an hour or two's session of being tormented by mad aunties and changes of clothing to accommodate the need for a month's baby "development" to be fitted into one day. Tomorrow Renesmee would look different again, but today we hid her hair under a series of hats or teased it so it looked shorter.

Edward had made me promise that we would never cut her hair because it was too beautiful and "just like her momma's". I couldn't break his heart and truth be told, I didn't want to cut her hair either. I didn't want to lose anything of our daughter's as we didn't know how long we would have her for.

While I was musing, I looked over to Edward. When he wasn't posing beside me or just with Renesmee, he sat with Carlisle as they discussed some more plans for the family's research trip to South America. When I wasn't being bossed about by my sisters-in-law, I caught odd snippets of the conversation, but tried not to dwell too much on the ramifications of it. I tried to focus on the here and now of just being with my gorgeous daughter because she could pick up on my body language if I didn't control it well enough. I pulled Renesmee to me for cuddles and kisses as I tried to hide my silent misgivings. I smiled wistfully down into her face as I held her hand to my cheek.

I could feel Edward looking at me often while chatting to Carlisle. Every now and then, they would both smile at me, as if reassuring me. While Edward would not hide anything from me, there were times when I seriously didn't wish to hear what was being discussed because it brought home all too clearly the potentially life-limiting condition our daughter had been innocently landed with. While there would be many advantages to the vampire part of her, it was more likely that the human part of her would be too frail to cope with the demands made of her body. Again, that dark cloud loomed large in my mind, so I spent a few moments pushing it away. I could see a frown pass over Edward's face as he caught sight of my expression while ruminating over things. So much for pushing those crappy thoughts away.

Finally, I heard him suggest to Carlisle that they leave the topic aside for the moment and he would take me hunting. Renesmee was due another feed in a couple of hours and he insinuated that we should be out and back in good time for me to have my cuddles with her so she could have a nap. Edward laid a hand on Carlisle's shoulder with a smile in parting and blurred to my side, grabbing my hand and hauling me to my feet.

We headed out into the woods at a gallop and Edward set a fair pace which I kept up with easily. We ran for a good fifteen minutes and it was exhilarating. I enjoyed it when we really stretched our legs now – a totally different situation from when I'd been human and any form of physical activity brought with it the potential for disaster. Edward had obviously always enjoyed running since I'd known him. I sometimes missed the thrill of riding on his back, but running with him was alot more satisfying and seeing his expression of joy as he glanced back made me smile inside.

I couldn't smell any scent of prey when Edward finally stopped and wheeled around to face me as I reached him a few seconds later. I slammed into his chest and outstretched arms and we both hit the deck, with him cushioning our fall. His mouth latched onto mine hungrily and beneath me, I could feel that he was aroused. Obviously he had been _really_ enjoying his run and I recalled his earlier comment about having run for miles when he was turned on during my human days. Some things never changed evidently! Those thoughts passed through my mind in mere nanoseconds as I sank into our kiss and reciprocated the passion he was feeling for me.

"I thought we were hunting." I observed laconically when I finally pulled back from his embrace.

"We are. Just different prey today." said Edward breathily into my mouth.

I traced the outline of his lips as he tried to nip my fingers. "So I'm drinking your blood today am I?"

"If you'd like. You know what'll happen though if you bite me. Remember the shower on our first night at the cottage?" He waggled his eyebrows and grinned lasciviously at me.

"How could I forget?" The memory of his rampant reaction to my tiny lovebite stirred something warm inside me. "Hmmm well now you've laid down the chall....." Any further words were choked off as his mouth covered mine again. His tongue made glorious love to mine and I inhaled his scent deeply.

"Mmmmmm you taste of Renesmee." He commented as he released me again. "You were kissing her rather alot in the photo session. My two favourite scents in all the world."

I stilled when he said that. He looked at me thoughtfully. "Are you ok, kiddo?" I nodded slowly at him and tucked my hair behind my ears, playing with his chest hairs for a moment. "Just kiss me Edward, make me forget the bad things."

He rolled us over so that he was on top of me and plundering my mouth again. "I love you Mrs Cullen. Very much."

His now very firm bulge was digging into my groin and my reaction to it was to surrender to the moment and get very wet, very quickly. The scent of my arousal had reached him and his eyes were black with lust as a growl vibrated out of his chest.

"I want you, right now. I won't be able to do anything else while I've got this serpent rearing its head!" He wriggled over me to emphasise his point and his voice became sexily husky as he spoke.

"Know any snake charmers?" I giggled, knowing he was about to make me very happy.

"Yeah, there's this beautiful girl in the woods who can tame this beast. I've bumped into her a few times and she has never failed me yet." His expression was pretty intense as he said that, even though he was joking about.

"Well you'd better show me what you do to her and I'll see if I can be as accommodating. I'm sure I can bring the beast under control if you'll let me." I leaned in for a kiss.

"Just don't tell my wife!" He grinned wickedly, suddenly licking an open-mouthed trail up my shocked face before blurring to his feet. He picked me up from the ground, moving us to the foot of the nearest tree. Looking at him intently, I lifted my arms up above my head. He whipped off my top and flung it aside. He then bent in to nuzzle me and feathered his way down my neck with caresses, leaving me panting and wanting more. My jeans and trainers went the same way as my top, leaving me in just my white lacy bra and undies. He ran his hands over my body with a light touch, leaving me groaning with desire and quivering like a pointer dog waiting its command. He chuckled quietly at my reaction.

I undid the zip of his jeans, which he dropped, stepped out of and kicked aside. He lifted me up and I swung my legs around his waist, slinging my arms around his neck pulling him in for the deep kiss I ached for. Edward leaned into me again and kissed me so intensely that I quivered madly with anticipation of what was coming next. Edward panted as he released me from the kiss. My tattered underwear hit the deck and leaning on one arm against the tree, Edward moved his other hand down and put a couple of fingers in me, pressing firmly and purrfectly on the area he knew would send me wild. I was clinging to him like a spider monkey. His gaze on mine was riveting as he watched me react to his fingerwork. He kept muttering encouragement as he worked on me. After several minutes of bliss, I begged him to replace his hand with his substantial erection, but he resolutely kept caressing me as I started to fall apart. My body hitched in tension and I tightened my grip on him as I moaned and rode out the tingling pleasure that Edward was giving me. I was gloriously wet under his efforts and he groaned his deep arousal to my scent which I could also smell coming off me in waves.

I pleaded again for him to enter me and all he would say was "In a moment", prolonging our mutual agony.

"I thought you couldn't wait to be inside me." I couldn't help but grumble as I was desperate to get his glorious cock deep inside my core.

"I love watching you come." He kissed me again, sucking on my tongue. "I'll get my turn, don't you worry. I'm going to make you scream before we're done." He crooned in my ear as I felt my control slipping under his insistent touch. This dominant and assured Edward really turned me on. A few seconds later, his relentless fingering of me yielded results as I gushed all over his hand as he kept stroking, taking me to the edge of my sanity. My legs automatically tensed and tightened, pulling his hand deeper. When I'd released it, Edward licked the moistness from it and fixed me with his gaze as he did so. My answering groan at the sight of him enjoying my taste made him lift the corner of his mouth in a wicked grin. His long and steady dark eyed stare turned my insides to mush and made me twitch.

Edward waited a few moments for me to subside before doing something guaranteed to have me panting. He hoisted me up to his shoulders to lick away the juices that were now trickling down my leg. The sound of his actions and the feel of his tongue on my over-sensitized groin made me mew like a kitten. He chuckled his enjoyment at my complete surrender to his clean up job. He swiped the area around my clitoris with his tongue and I nearly passed out as my body twitched madly in reaction. _Holy crap, I'll never stand any more of this today._

I opened my eyes to see Edward's satisfied smile as he licked his lips in a totally animalistic way. His smile was salacious beyond belief. _Oh my good God, I can't believe he's doing that. What's that sound? .......He's actually purring! _As I looked down at Edward from my elevated position, legs over his shoulders, his coal black eyes met mine again. I saw his long tongue very deliberately extend out and head for the same zone again. "Oh noooooo!" I blurted out in a gasp of pure tension but I then felt his tongue connect with my nub of nerves. My face scrunched up with the effort not to scream out as the nub sent more hot waves of pleasure up inside me.

"What?" he asked hoarsely, breathing heavily but not stopping what he was doing - he was enjoying himself far too much. I took some more chunks out of the treetrunk I was clinging to at that moment. I moaned at him. "You really don't want me to survive, do you Edward? I don't know if I can take any more. You're going to kill me doing that!"

"You'll survive, I'm sure." He carried on deepening his actions and I felt myself keep twingeing until I was going to burst. "God but you taste beautiful. It's like nectar."

I grimaced again with the effort of restraint but it was hard to keep my composure, given what he was going to me. That tongue would drive me mad. "Even bees have to have breaks now and then."

"I'm like your worker bee. I keep going until I drop – I'm here to serve my queen!" Writhing under his extensive attention, I could only gasp endlessly as he hit the sweet spot again and again. When control failed me, I uttered a loud wail as he kept up his tongue-loving which made me crash into another orgasm.

As I juddered and twitched around him, he crooned "Sorry love, but that's not a scream." He continued attacking my core and soundly abusing it with his ardent tonguing. Where the hell did he learn how to do that? What had happened to my shy and reserved Edward?

Feeling limp when I'd finished pulsating, I needed Edward's kiss to get control back. I put in my request, but silence was his only reply as he stayed firmly attached to my groin with his mouth.

"Come here, Edward, I need your kiss. Please....." I was pleading now, reaching for his face from my reclining position.

"Uh-hmm ok." He paused a moment and then dropped me suddenly back to his waist, his arms keeping me from hitting the ground like a lump of jelly. He clamped his mouth over mine as I'd begged and his hands gripped my hips, pulling me to him. While my attention was diverted by my own scent being plastered all over my face by his ardent kissing, I felt him slide his cock into me. I inhaled in shock - he felt enormous and hugely aroused. He growled and let out a grunt as he buried himself to the hilt and started pumping into me. "You're gorgeous, so gorgeous." he breathed into my mouth as he kept thrusting. He steadied himself against the tree as I clung on to him with my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. His groaning increased with his tension. He kept mouthing "Oh God" as he pleasured us both.

At some point, he swung us round and laid me down on a mossy bank near the tree, without breaking our connection. As soon as we hit the ground and he had something more solid to work against, he ramped up the speed of his loving. I couldn't believe how good it felt and how lustful it made me feel all over again. I moved away from Edward's all-consuming kiss and whispered in his ear, encouraging him to take me even harder. His grunts told me he was putting everything into this lovemaking and was losing control quickly. I licked a trail up his neck and around his earlobe, absorbing his luscious honeyed scent. My insides were melting under the friction of Edward's strokes and I felt the inevitable coil rising within me again.

As I was getting carried further away, I gave no thought to biting Edward's ear – I just did it automatically, the vampire in me coming out. Edward let out a roar I was now familiar with as he bit down on my neck and convulsed over me in a sublime animalistic climax. My body went rigid with his bite and my core muscles took on a life of their own, clenching down hard on Edward's shaft, making me scream long and hard as they rippled their own release with his while we both thrashed around each other.

Our cries echoed through the trees around us. I heard birds scatter and take wing in alarm around us. Edward had been so right about what he would do to me. It was a primal scream from both of us as we both let go and became our true vampiric selves.

***

**A/N: Have you noticed that they always have really intense sex when Bella is emotional? Her sexual release is compounded exponentially with her heightened emotions and Edward taps into that because he is so attuned to her. He really ramps it up when it counts! Bring it on!**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind. **

**NB: Please see Totteacher's new one-shot about how Leah became a wolf. She has a beautiful writing style and understanding of emotions. She kindly dedicated it to me, for which a thousand thanks honeybun.**


	27. We Three

**Disclaimer: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Dedication: **For Jen (Totteacher). For being there - thank you hun. And for Wendy (Baynewen) for being one of my staunchest supporters - I can't thank you enough. Two fabulous people and two fabulous new friends. Am so glad I found you.

**Music vibe: **From the New Moon soundtrack: Hurricane Bells with "Monsters" - you may recall it comes when Edward walks across the school lot and he looks shyly down at the ground at Bella's open admiration of his gorgeousness!

**CHAPTER 27: WE THREE  
**

**BPOV:**

I couldn't look at Edward anymore as we headed towards the house slowly. Any sideways glances from me on the way back from the woods had provoked bellylaughs from Edward as he thoroughly enjoyed my discomfort at having let go so completely to his insane lovemaking earlier on. I wasn't used to losing control like that. Sensible Bella didn't do things like that.

Even more, I could hardly believe that Edward let himself go so completely either or behaved in such a wild fashion – my mind was full of wonder at my complex husband, trying to equate the handsome polite boyfriend who had escorted me politely around school from class to class months ago with the wild, lustful and totally alpha lover who roared into the air like an animal as he bit down on my neck, sending us both into a total frenzy.

I'd always known he was damned sexy because God knows he was handsome enough for the catwalk any day of the week - he got out of bed looking like someone from a Jean-Paul Gaultier advert and walked around like a Calvin Klein model without even trying. All he needed was a pair of soft boxer shorts to suspend any female's belief in reality - he really was ethereally beautiful, even more so to my new vampire eyes.

My shock at his incredible sexuality, as well as his sensuality, which reduced me to a gibbering wreck so easily, had been totally overwhelming. The more I was with him, the more he became my drug of choice. I responded to him as if I had an "on" button he flicked as he passed. One look and I was hypnotised. One touch and I was gone. One kiss and I was beyond reason.

I was consumed by passion for him and likewise his passion for me seemed to be increasing perceptibly. It was truly awe-inspiring and I still didn't understand it, even after all we'd been through together, even after the "La Tua Cantante" explanation, even after all his declarations of love, even though I was crazy about him. How could somebody so gorgeous want somebody as ordinary as me?

My free-ranging thoughts sparked images from our afternoon together and then back to those hazy school days when this vampire existence was all still a dream. Heat surged through my loins as the vision of Edward's lustful expression flashed past my eyes. God, but he was so beautiful when he lost himself in loving.

I gasped out loud and felt a wave of anxiety and longing flood through me. Much as I loved his presence, I had to break away from Edward to distance myself from that intense session today, and from him too for a few minutes.

I set off at a sprint back towards the house, leaving an amused, and no doubt bemused, Edward trailing behind. It didn't take him long to catch me up, given his turn of speed, but it enabled me to get into the run itself for a short while and break out to some degree from the reflective anti-climactic mood I'd found myself in.

I'd realised that, if we were going to be around Renesmee and the family for any length of time this evening, I'd better get a good grip on myself. Otherwise, Edward and I would be totally lost to hours of frantic lovemaking once again in no time at all. We were supposed to be balancing our time together with time spent with Renesmee. Tell that to my hormone-free body which was riddled with lust all the same! Then, like I was spinning on some wheel of fortune, when I thought of Renesmee, I felt frantic and almost desolate until I held her in my arms and gained some peace. Sometimes I didn't know which way was up.

Despite my breakaway sprint and my reasoning, the lure of those images of Edward was too strong to let them ride completely. I sobbed into my hands in frustration. What was wrong with me? I stopped running and started pacing, startling Edward. He charged up to me demanding to know what was wrong.

When I alerted him to my worries about losing control again, I started by warning him he'd better behave or I'd get Jasper to push some "anti-love" emotions on him to kill his ardour for a while. Edward looked relieved and hooted with laughter initially at my threat, but then on seeing the grim expression on my face, he snagged my arm and pulled me up short from my pacing.

"Oh my love, come here. My sad funny Bella, worrying about things you don't need to." He pulled me to his chest and gave me a sweet nuzzling kiss, saying he understood completely and would stop teasing me. I stood there wrapped in his comforting arms, all mixed emotions and vacillation. Each time I determined to be strong and focused, a wave of heat rushed through me and a lustful image flashed before me yet again. I was almost drooling with desire again.

"Edward, I'm all over the place just now. Help me get a grip before we get back to the house." I leaned into his chest and huffed out an exasperated sigh.

"Hey, don't worry. You'll be ok. Take your time." He cuddled me quietly for a time. He also commented that my newborn status meant that even I, the "great Bella", was still bound to feel everything intensely and that sometimes even I couldn't handle all of the rushes. It was only to be expected.

Today was one of those instances – our epic experience in the woods had blown me away and I was clinging on to my control only by the slimmest of margins. He realised this now I'd confessed. He apologised for being too swept up in his delight earlier. "I'm sorry Bella, I wasn't thinking. You can't help being so damned attractive, but I could do you a favour and rein in my libido."

"No, don't do that. I love watching you let go and be yourself with me - it's just that sometimes I find it much harder to settle down again afterwards. I'm not always that controlled person everyone seems to think I am."

"Do we need a codeword for when you feel like that?" he nudged me gently, smiling and trying to josh me out of my mood.

"That might not be such a bad idea, you know." I sighed again and looked ruefully up at him.

He stared down at me with real concern on his face. "In case you'd forgotten, it's not unusual for newborns to be completely delirious with the need for either feeding or making out - or both simultaneously for that matter if the opportunity allows!"

"Oh God, don't tell me that....." I groaned into his armpit. His scent was like catnip to me and I could feel myself wanting to squirm up tight and breathe it all in.

"You'll get us into trouble doing that Mrs Cullen." Edward gripped me by the shoulders and moved back a foot or so. "Mind you, you don't have the benefit of my century of immense self-control, you know. But I tell you what....." He smiled mysteriously.

"What?"

"I promise you we'll take ourselves off for a night somewhere in the next week or two so we can abandon ourselves completely to vampire instincts. Would you like to do that?" I nodded weakly. "I've got a private lodge in mind at a remote location where we could walk around naked all day if we wanted to." Edward pulled me back in to his chest.

When I heard that suggestion, I begged him not to mention it to me again this evening or I would truly disgrace myself in front of his family!

He was unlocking in me feelings I never truly realised I had. When I told him that, he commented it was the same about me for him. His cuddle was reassuring as he gently reminded me that we were, after all, still newlyweds and finding things out about each other over and above the vampire side of life.

"You're doing so well you know, my love." murmured Edward into my hair as he hugged me. "Esme and Carlisle are very impressed with your control and how well you're taking to all this." I scoffed dubiously when I heard that. "But you are! And Esme is still purring like a cat when she sees us together. Her thoughts have been quite sweet and certainly very loving towards you. She loves us both very much. They both do. Don't ever be afraid to express your fears, especially not in front of them."

"But I don't want to. I can only 'fess up to you because you know me so well."

Edward told me he loved me very much and even better than that, he adored what I did to him and that married life was turning out to be even better than he could ever have imagined. The expression on his face rendered me speechless - he looked down at me with such adoration that I would have cried if I'd still had tears to shed. Every day it stunned me that he should feel so passionately about me. He showed it in so many breathtaking ways.

I relented in my scowling on hearing him talk like that. I really did love him. Looking up adoringly at this handsome man stood with his arms around me, I realised I was really lucky to have such an intuitive and loving partner to guide and protect me through these new experiences. Even if he sounded like he had the wisdom of the ages behind him much of the time, I still needed to remember he was also learning his way through new feelings and experiences just like me. Intuitive though he was, being unable to read my mind meant that he stumbled at times in understanding just how powerful his new wife's emotions could be. I realised I should open up to him more, but also listen to him and look out for him.

His primary concern was my happiness and that of our daughter. He wouldn't jeopardise either, but he knew we had to push some boundaries in our learning curve together. In the meantime, he confessed he was really enjoying his newfound sexual freedom as well as his overwhelming emotions from being a young father. He too found the pull of both me and Renesmee hard to balance, which was why his favourite time was at the cottage with both of us there within easy reach.

He said he loved me even more for opening up to him and begged me never to hold back from him what I was feeling. We would learn to balance things together.

His golden eyes were full of affection and a light smile played on his purrfect sensuous lips. I trailed a finger round his handsome face and when I rested my finger on his mouth, he kissed it and held it there with his hand. I wished then that he could read my mind so he could know how completely I loved him. I felt the chaotic emotions of the last half hour ebb away as we stood there, allowing me to regain the control I was becoming famous for. Edward saw me relax and a huge smile lit his face.

A final kiss and cuddle followed after our little heart to heart and we released each other reluctantly.

I looked up at him, smiling. "I love you husband!"

"I adore you, wife." He kissed my nose and grabbed my hand. "Come on, let's go and cuddle our daughter." He pulled me behind him as he started walking. We reached the house hand in hand, finally peaceful and contented. Edward gave a snarling Leah a friendly wave as we walked past her.

A peaceful scene greeted us as we re-joined the extended Cullen family at leisure. It had only been just over a couple of hours since we'd left the room, but we had moved on emotionally since we'd left the place earlier. I was seeing the family with refreshed eyes. We smiled at everyone as we entered the house.

Alice & Jasper, Rosalie & Emmett were sat over at the dining table playing what looked to be a complicated card game. Jacob was walking around the living room with a well-fed and sleepy Renesmee quietly cuddling against his shoulder. Carlisle was nowhere to be seen at that moment. Seth was sprawled on the floor behind the massive couch, fast asleep on his back with his hands behind his head.

Esme came into the room after hearing the front door open. She evidently observed a change in us. "Well don't you two look relaxed!" She walked over to hug us both. Her look confirmed what Edward had told me. "Did you have a good hunt?"

"Er, yes thank you." I replied, but couldn't look her in the face. Edward saved the day by saying I'd enjoyed the run out, and then placed his hands on my shoulders to physically steer me away in the direction of the couch.

Jacob turned towards me as he heard our conversation. His welcoming smile showed his contentment at hugging my baby. I felt a pang of jealousy for Edward's sake at what he must be feeling seeing his daughter in the arms of his old love rival. From a backward glance I could see Edward checking out Jacob's thoughts as he took in the sight. I also noted Rosalie watching Jacob intently from the other side of the room, as if scanning for any mishap or deviation in what she thought he should be doing. She had a territorial look about her. She was my ninja nanny! As it happened she _was _dressed all in black today with high heeled boots on which would be no impediment to her kicking Jacob's backside for any perceived infraction.

This scene was absorbed by me in mere seconds and reaffirmed my instinct in that moment. Renesmee was my baby and it was my turn to hold her.

Marching straight up to Jacob, I held out my hands and silently insisted he hand her over to me. He acquiesced without a word and gently as a feather, he popped her against my shoulder as I cradled her neck safely. I mouthed "thank you" at him and took Renesmee back across to Edward who was waiting patiently for us by the windows. He kissed the side of Renesmee's head and whispered in her ear. "Hello my gorgeous". I inhaled Renesmee's sweet scent as I nuzzled her neck for a moment and held one of her hands. Edward took Renesmee's other hand and put it against his face, kissing her palm. Her dimpled smile softened his expression as he looked at her tenderly and then looked at me, leaning forward to place a brief kiss on my lips. "Hello my gorgeous." he said softly.

My heart swelled with pride while it also twinged with huge emotion. I saw that Edward was touched by my silent reaction as he put his arms round us both and embraced us firmly.

We three were re-connected.

***

After our customary three-way cuddle, Renesmee soon settled into a peaceful slumber in my arms. I carried her over to the couch and sat beside Alice who had abandoned the card game earlier. Renesmee never stirred in my arms as Alice chattered at my side about this and that. I suspected my baby could sleep through an earthquake without moving a muscle. I was more than glad that she was so contented and relaxed.

I only took in half of what Alice was chatting about, but enjoyed her company all the same. She had her laptop open in front of her and was scrolling through candid family photographs and some design ideas she'd had for the nursery. From the occasional upturned half smile on Edward's face as he read Alice's mind, I guessed she probably knew I wasn't paying full attention, but that didn't deter her from saying what she had to say. She was such a cheerful and giving soul, I hated to shush her up.

After about an hour, Esme came over to me and asked if she might hold Renesmee for a while. She grumbled that Alice and Rosalie had commandeered her granddaughter for most of the day so she'd hardly got a look in. With a smile, I handed my daughter over to her tender care.

In turn, she nodded over to the dining table and told me she'd left a gift there for us. Intrigued, I went over and looked. It turned out to be a beautiful pencil sketch of Renesmee in my arms. She had drawn me too, with my hand resting on Renesmee's head as she slept peacefully against my shoulder.

I could scarcely believe Esme had undertaken this without me seeing her do it. She commented she'd been watching us over a couple of evenings in the reflection of the windows. She had outlined the drawing one evening and filled in the detail that evening as I unconsciously tended to hold Renesmee in the same pose most evenings. She said it had not been difficult to render the likeness as I had been unaware of her observations, accustomed as I was to seeing her with a sketchpad in her hand.

I called Edward over to look at the sketch and his warm smile, before even seeing the picture, alerted me to the fact he'd already known about it. Of course his entry into Esme's mind would have been the biggest clue for him! He would have literally seen it in her mind's eye before seeing the real thing. He assured me this did not detract from his joy of seeing the finished article and that we would have it framed to go in our bedroom so he could look at his favourite girls from the bed.

I saw Edward wander over to Esme and smile at her. He gave her a kiss and cuddle, evidently in response to something she was thinking. I loved that they had such an affectionate bond and seeing them so close made me smile quietly to myself.

Also thanking Esme for her gift, I stood gawping at the fruits of her talent for a while longer. I was mesmerised by how superbly she had captured Renesmee's sleeping face snuggled against my shoulder: the slightly squashed moué of her pink mouth as her rosy cheek rested on her plump hand, the soft tumbling locks framing her sweet face and the long eyelashes which captivated anyone who looked at her. All of this purrfection captured brilliantly and a testament to Esme's astounding talent.

The sketch reminded me of a TV programme I had seen once of a man who had taken a photo of his sleeping daughter to a tattoo parlour so he could have that image tattooed on his shoulder, just on the spot where his beautiful daughter drifted to sleep each evening. In that instant, I could imagine Edward having a similar tattoo of Renesmee done for himself. The notion choked me up for a moment.

I huffed without thinking and Edward looked at me questioningly and blurred to my side with concern. I shrugged, leaning into him and merely said "It's nothing. I'll tell you later."

**A/N: For anybody wondering about the reference to the tattoo, it was an episode of Miami Ink and, for me, was one of the most tender and poignant requests ever made. The superb Kat von D did the rendering of little angel Elise, a sufferer of Tay-Sachs disease.**

**For the image of Elise:  
http:(slashslash)northanger(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)210370(dot)html  
http:(slashslash)justwriteforkids(dot)blogspot(dot)com(slash)2007(slash)04(slash)little-girl-named-elise(dot)html**

**Story:  
****http:(slashslash)tattoo(dot)about(dot)com(slash)od(slash)tattoosgeneralinfo(slash)a(slash)miamiink022806(dot)htm**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. You are all very kind. Special thanks also go to AwesomeSauce76, Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTua(dot)Cantante(dot)83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented.**


	28. Flowers in Bloom

**Disclaimer: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Dedication: **For Nat (RiaMaria), a mum in a million, and for Charlie.

**Music: **A sweet gentle song by an underrated Scottish band**: **Travis - Flowers in the Window**  
**

**CHAPTER 28: FLOWERS IN BLOOM  
**

**BPOV:**

Once she had fallen asleep, our Renesmee had slept through the night again, as good as gold, leaving Edward and me to our lovemaking without interruption. It had been a gentle loving night as Edward was in reflective mood and we didn't want to disturb our baby who had taken a little longer than normal to settle.

The bliss of these long nights in Edward's arms would take some beating and I cherished every one of the 21 nights I'd spent there since my vampire birthday. We worshipped each other every single night, several times a night, and our lust for each other knew no bounds. Some nights we barely parted skin, the thought of momentary loss being too overwhelming or in Edward's case, making up for 90 years of celibacy. I enjoyed every single second of it. It was just one of the miracles of being vampire soulmates.

Another miracle waited for us next door. Our baby was just over three weeks old and developing fast. Edward had told me last night that her intellect had come on in leaps and bounds and she was formulating many more words in her head, although she still preferred her special way of communicating. He joked she was being lazy. I joked she could hardly get a word in edgeways with Aunt Alice and all her relatives around. Meanwhile, her physical development was fast catching up and I couldn't wait to spend the day playing with her today.

With that in mind, I sat up and scooted over to the edge of the bed, ready to get up for the day. I felt movement behind me and Edward's arms snaked up around my waist to pull me back down to him. I turned and planted a kiss on his lips but pulled away from him. He moved to his knees and grabbed me again playfully, but I had to steel my resolve if we were ever to start our day with our daughter. I used my superior strength to push Edward very firmly back onto the pillow and step away from him.

Rubbing his arm ruefully, Edward looked the picture of hurt pride. "Ouch Bella! You're in dominatrix mode aren't you, my love?" I stood there with hands in hips, smirking at my husband. I waved a finger at him chidingly. "Bella love, you can't expect me to behave when you're stood there looking like a naked goddess in front of me. It's more than a man can bear."

I laughed at him. "Much as I'd really love to, I'm not coming back to bed, Edward. Today we're going to be sensible and concentrate on our daughter. It's the price we have to pay for being teenage parents!" Who was I trying to kid? I needed to convince myself as well as Edward. My resolve wavered as I looked at the glorious body of my young husband, his taut stomach, the line of hair trailing down from his belly to his groin, and lust tingled in my own belly. _Don't go there Bella. Concentrate._...

"I could call Alice to babysit Nessie for a while longer." Edward waggled his eyebrows. "Just until we're ready...." his voice trailed off hopefully.

"Oh no you don't Edward. We have all night to play and we also have our hunting alone time. Anyway, you've been the one emphasising balance up until now so why are you encouraging me to be naughty when you know I don't take much distraction?"

"Well I can't help it that you do things to my body Bella. I waited so long to let go and make love to you, I'm still fumbling for the 'off' switch. How can I do that when you're standing there looking so damned gorgeous it's criminal and I've got this here begging to have its wicked way with you again?" He leaned back and displayed the tented sheet to me so I was under no illusions as to what he meant.

_Oh good grief will you look at that? He's going to drive me crazy. Be strong Bella... _I shut my eyes to block out temptation and inhaled deeply. "You'll learn to live with it Mr Cullen. Besides, we can schedule a trip to the woods later and you can beg me again."

Throwing my best grin at him, I blurred past the bed towards the closet and hauled out some clothing before I changed my mind. My body was being a traitor to me as the image of his body stayed at the forefront of my mind, but I tried really hard to concentrate as I dressed. I groaned. _Focus...focus...._

"Here, let me help you with that." said the voice behind me as hands pulled the V-necked top over my head and adjusted it into position with some liberties taken during the assistance of doing so. Each momentary touch threatened to undo my resolve as I looked up into Edward's golden eyes. He was smiling down at me with that knowing twinkle in his eyes, just waiting for me to fall into his arms. He was really dangerous when feeling amorous and I would have to find some mechanisms to deal with it if we were ever going to get anything done anywhen soon.

I huffed at him and pecked his mouth with a light kiss. Moving past him quickly, I smacked his bare backside in reproof, leaving him there to dress. "I'll get you back Cullen!"

"Oh I certainly hope so."

_Oh boy, am I glad you can't read my mind, you gorgeous thing._

I made my way down the short corridor to the nursery and gently called Renesmee who I could hear stirring in her bedroom. Her sweet voice saying "Momma" reached me through the door and I heard her giggle. I opened the door wide and entered the room with a big smile on my face, eager to kiss her beautiful face, but the sight before me stopped me in my tracks.

"Edward!" I exclaimed without thinking.

He was instantly at my side. "What's wrong?"

I momentarily noted he'd got as far as covering up his bottom half before coming into the room. "Er nothing. Oh my God, would you look at that?" I was gobsmacked, rooted to the spot. _Good grief!_

Renesmee was stood on her feet holding the sides of the cot, smiling beatifically at us with her full compliment of teeth on show. She giggled delightedly again, rattling the bars of the cot as she jiggled. At three weeks old!!

My mind boggled as I suddenly broke my trance and rushed forward to pick her up.

"Wait," said Edward,. "Photo! I must take a photo of her." He zoomed out of the room and was back in seconds, holding his cellphone up to take the snapshot. At his insistence, I then went and stood behind the cot as he took another one of us both. I grumbled about that, but Edward wouldn't take no for an answer. "For the private family album" he said, about to shove the phone in his pocket. While it was still in his hand, it rang. He punched the button. "Yes Alice?" he answered and then listened. "Yeah, I know, isn't it amazing? _Yes_, of course I've taken a photo. We'll be up at the house shortly. Be patient. Yeah, ok, bye."

I swooped and picked a delighted Renesmee out of her cot and she put her hand straight on my cheek. She played back our shocked faces to me. "Edward come here – you should see this." I chuckled. Renesmee obliged him with her own snapshot image of us both as we had stared disbelievingly at her.

"You're such a clever girl." nuzzled Edward into her neck, setting her off with another giggle. "Ok, Momma will get you dressed and I'll tidy up."

Edward blurred out of the room to get ready while I walked over to the set of drawers to pull out a new outfit for my baby girl. Renesmee suddenly piped up "Down please Momma" so I popped her onto the floor, on her feet, where she used the drawer handles to hold on to. As I moved about, shaking my head in disbelief, Renesmee turned herself around and watched my progress, her chocolate eyes following me around the room as she adjusted her position.

I kept smiling over at her as she beamed her grin back at me. "You're my beautiful bright girl. Definitely your daddy's daughter."

"Love you momma" she grinned at me in response, stuffing a fist in her mouth.

With that, I dumped the clothes on the side and swept her up in my arms again. I was glad of these little gifts from her, disconcerting as they were. My heart was melting anew at those precious words from my baby. My brain was telling me it wasn't possible to be having a conversation with a three week old baby, but I shouldn't have been surprised at all this new world had to offer.

As I was stood there kissing Renesmee to bits, Edward rejoined us and did the same to both of us, unable to hide his own joy. We were still totally in a state of wonder about our precious gift and I wondered what surprises were waiting for us next. I quickly cleaned Renesmee up and dressed her. Edward popped her in the bodysling and we headed out the door.

With an even stronger sense of happiness today, we all set off for the house to go and show Renesmee's new trick to the family.

***

As usual, Renesmee was treated to her daily routine of fussing, feeding and cuddling by family members, followed by the measuring and photography sessions which formed part of her days in this household. Renesmee was evidently in a talking mood today and copying what we were saying. Emmett would bear watching as I had a feeling he had some mischief planned now she'd found her voice. I would put money on her saying something cheeky very soon.

It was mighty strange to hear her voice getting to grips with words so readily. Only Edward had really had the benefit of hearing her voice until now, but he said her spoken voice differed slightly from her thought processes. As a consequence, he took equal delight in listening to her formulate words a 3 year old would have trouble with. Carlisle couldn't conceal his delight at his granddaughter's super-intelligent mind and if I didn't know better, I'd have sworn there was a blood link between them. It was hard to remember sometimes that Edward was not in fact related to him, so matched were they for intellect and thoughtful nature.

However, Carlisle could see the barely disguised concern in my eyes for the way my daughter was progressing and he came over to hug me reassuringly, pecking me lightly on the cheek. "Don't worry, she'll be fine", he murmured quietly in my ear while he had his head turned away from his granddaughter.

Renesmee's hearing was good, but not as good as a vampire's. Even so, he had Renesmee in his arms and her instinct kicked in. "Don't worry Momma." My heart lurched at her intuitive nature on top of everything else. She was an observer of people already. Carlisle handed my girl back to me and kissed the side of her head gently before walking away.

I popped her down onto the floor, holding her hands so she was between my legs. We dance-walked across the room and then back again, to her delight. Her legs kicked and thrust out as she mock-walked with me. We kept on going much to the enjoyment of everyone watching. She seemed to be enjoying the attention and the exercise. After ten minutes or so of that, I plonked us both down on the couch with her on my knee, but she begged to be put down on the floor. I duly did so but she promptly hauled herself back to her feet, holding on to the corner of the seat cushion for support. _Well, _I thought to myself, _that's fairly standard for a baby just finding its feet._

Yeah right. It was a day of surprises. Renesmee had another one for us.

Alice was humming on the other side of the living room, rearranging the flowers contentedly. Today's bouquet was a simple cream and green combination and she was making her usual artistic presentation of the blooms in front of her. As she primped and tweaked, she saw Renesmee watching her and started singing a song to her. I recognised it as "Flowers in the Window" by Travis, something Edward had downloaded to his iPod. Renesmee watched Alice intently, jiggling on her feet a little, and then when Alice finished singing, promptly clapped her hands with glee. This made her fall onto her bottom with a thump before I could stop her. She giggled and then a determined expression came on her face as I watched her.

Alice suddenly muttered "Oh!", and then beamed a huge smile, looking down again at Renesmee.

I was about to ask what she'd seen when Renesmee cried "Alice!" and rolled over onto her knees. She crawled to the edge of the couch and pulled herself back to her feet. Ok, so much for the determined look.

I went to pick her up, but instead she half-turned and held her arm out towards Alice, pointing at her. "Alice!" She cried out again. "Pretty flowers!"

Without missing a beat, she set off at a lurch towards Alice, gaining speed as she virtually galloped across the living room carpet into Alice's outswept arms.

There were intakes of breath all around the room as we all looked at one another in amazement. Even Carlisle looked non-plussed, scratching his head and rubbing his chin. He blew out his cheeks, lost for words.

"Well I'm damned...." exclaimed Emmett from the other side of the room. Even he knew it was far too early for Renesmee to be doing such things ordinarily.

My hand flew to my mouth as I choked up with a dry sob. Edward blurred to my side, hugging me distractedly as we both stared open-mouthed at our daughter.

Alice had by this time scooped Renesmee up into her arms and was dancing around the room with her held high, laughing excitedly. "Isn't she wonderful? I saw it a fraction before she did it – she made up her mind to walk and just went for it. Such a clever girl, aren't you sweetie?"

Alice covered Renesmee's face in kisses and crooned at her. She rushed over to us and passed our daughter onto my lap where Edward and I both swept her up in kisses too. Renesmee looked very contented and merely commented "Walking fun".

We all chuckled and realised there would be no stopping her now she'd found her feet.

***

"Oh my goodness, Charlie! What are we going to do about him?" I looked up at Edward, panicking at how we were going to keep this new development from Charlie. He was already having to deal with so much oddity around us - the notion of a three week old baby walking would blow his mind completely.

There was a buzz of voices behind me as everyone started talking at once on the subject. Renesmee's face puckered up in a frown and she put her hand on my cheek. She showed me my stricken face and then as she was looking at Edward, I could see his concern reflected in his eyes as he looked down at her. Her expression changed from a frown to a whimper as she sensed she'd possibly done something wrong and was getting upset about it.

"Edward?" I whispered at him, wanting him to say something. He could hear her thoughts and was best placed to reassure her. He leaned over and took her into his arms, smoothing her face and hair, crooning in her ear. "Don't worry sweetheart, you've done nothing wrong. We're just coming to terms with your new talents. Don't fret, sweetie." He kissed her cheek and pulled her to him as I rubbed her back reassuringly - even though I felt a whole lot of trepidation.

Carlisle walked over to us. "I think it's probably best that Renesmee doesn't show this new talent to Charlie yet. Renesmee, do you think you can remember not to try walking when he's around, sweetheart?" Renesmee gazed up at him and then back to her daddy and then me.

I could have cried. Her little face was bewildered. She'd been so pleased with herself for walking and now we were trying to clamp down on her joy. "Sweetheart, it's great that you're walking and we're really pleased about it. But Grandpa Charlie is human, sweetie, and human babies don't walk so early. We need to give him time to adjust to us all. He knows we're different but he doesn't know why. I think we should give it another week or so before springing a new surprise on him, don't you? After all, he doesn't even know yet that you can talk."

Renesmee's solemn face peered up at me and then back to Edward. He looked down into her face. "That's right sweetie. You can walk and talk here all you like, except when Grandpa Charlie is around ok? He'll be coming for a visit this afternoon so do you think you can control yourself while he's here?"

Renesmee's finger left her mouth and she put a hand on his cheek. She evidently flashed up an image of Charlie in Edward's head. "That's right. We have to keep secrets from him just now. I'll make sure that we always carry you around him, ok? Then when he's gone, we can have some fun. Is that ok?" She nodded solemnly and pointed at me. "Yes, Momma has to keep secrets from him as well. You know we're special and you're extra-special." She nodded again and pointed at Carlisle. "Yes Grandpa Carlisle is special too."

Renesmee put her arms out to me so I took her back from Edward and pulled her to me. Her scent fired through my nasal passages and brain synapses, calming me. Her warm body ignited my protective instincts and I wasn't going to let her go to anybody else for a while. I kissed and nuzzled her as she played with my hair. I put my lips to her ear and whispered so quietly that only she would hear. "I love you so much sweetie."

Kissing my baby as I hugged her, I thought about how today's developments were only the first of several challenges we would have where Renesmee was concerned and I wondered how far we could push it before Charlie's mind would explode with the surreal nature of life with the Cullens.

Meanwhile, it was time to prepare for his daily visit. I was too anxious to get through it without feeding first. There was just enough time for Edward and I to head off for a quick hunt.

**A/N: Baby Renesmee rocks!**

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback. Special thanks also go to AwesomeSauce76, Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTua(dot)Cantante(dot)83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Please check out their stories – these women are amazingly talented. ****Thank you also for taking my reviews over the 300 threshold. Your continued support means the world to me so please please hit that little green review button. Namaste!**


	29. Soft & Gentle

**Disclaimer: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. I owe her big time for the happiness she has brought to my consciousness this year.**

**Dedication: **For Ceri & Stewart, with catcuddles!

**Music vibe: **Foo Fighters - Everlong (acoustic version)

**CHAPTER 29: SOFT & GENTLE**

**BPOV:**

Edward and I ran back to the house after our hunting session, feeling pretty well fed even if only from some deer rather than our preferred prey. Feeding was the point of the exercise, not a mixed menu, and we'd feasted until I felt full enough to cope with my dad's visit. I still couldn't get over Edward's sexiness when he hunted - he was so elegant and fast that he blurred even in front of my eyes. His exultant look on catching a difficult animal was stunning and my belly fired when I saw it and my pride soared at his power.

We hadn't hung around out there for long after feeding, but only because of sheer willpower in not getting carried away with lust afterwards – not that Edward had been much help! He'd been worse than me today, trying to goose me into submitting to his wish to have his wicked way with me. He'd licked me clean after feeding, although I thought I hadn't been that messy this time. His insistent attention and subsequent groping let me know I was in for trouble. His superior speed and agility soon had me pushed up against a tree but superior strength enabled me to wriggle out from under his grasp, albeit reluctantly.

I evaded his octopus arms, despite his best efforts, and took off back towards the house. He chased me all the way, throwing curses at my back – it was the first time I'd beaten him home as I really stretched my legs out and dug in. After he stopped cursing, he spent his time trying to lure me back to play with him in the woods, telling me all the things he wanted to do to me. However, I did my best to shut my ears to him and keep focused on getting back to Renesmee to prepare for Charlie's visit. One of us had to be sensible, but it was definitely a hardship - maintaining the Renesmee/Edward balance was a hard-fought battle every day, but usually Edward was better at controlling it than me.

When I finally slowed up to walk across the lawn nonchalantly and Edward caught up with me, his face was a picture of wry amusement and ruefulness at me being Mrs Sensible. I swung my hips tauntingly at him as I sashayed across the lawn. For his consolation prize, he swept me up in his arms and swung me round on the lawn while I squealed to be unhanded. As he put me down and gave me a peck on the cheek, he swore this would be the one and only time I would ever beat him home on a run and I wouldn't get off so lightly next time.

We both came through the front door laughing, arm in arm. I looked into the room and spotted Renesmee at the far end of the couch beside Alice. Her face lit up when she saw us and she was instantly lurching across the floor to meet us. She was obviously getting the hang of walking. I squatted down on my haunches, with my arms open wide, as she tottered towards me and when she reached me, I swept her up for a cuddle. It was my turn to swing her round in joy, covering her in kisses to her giggling delight.

"More!" she said as I swung her around again and again. She didn't seem to get dizzy as I would've expected and her toothy grin just bowled me over. _My beautiful baby! _I nuzzled into her hair and her neck, drinking in her scent and the feel of her body against mine. Edward reached in and cuddled us both, planting a kiss on Renesmee's cheek.

When we'd calmed down a little, she popped her hand on my cheek and showed me that Alice had been walking her around the house in our absence. Seeing the house through her eyes was strange and enchanting. Looking at the other members of the family from her perspective was also a curious experience – everybody loomed large in her vision and her eyes took in alot of detail already, but the affectionate expressions of her aunts, uncles and grandparents looking down at her were really heartwarming. It was wonderful to be able to experience the family and world through her eyes and it was really precious to me.

Edward also stood transfixed as he watched her thoughts with me. He shook himself from his reverie. "Did you like your walk around the house, Renesmee?" She clapped her hands in glee and said "Walk more!" She twisted her body and held her arms out to Edward. He plucked her from me and obliged her by holding her hands and doing the monkey-walk with her around the place, releasing her hands here and there as she demanded. She would grab items that interested her and then demand to be walked again.

Her giggles and chat made for a noisier baby than usual. It was enchanting to watch and Alice was there with her camera, charting her progress and making some beautiful family footage for us all to look back on in future. It was not something we would forget anyway, but I figured it would probably be good for Renesmee to watch her baby days when she got older. Otherwise, I fancied, she might not believe how quickly she'd progressed.

I was working hard in my own mind to reassure myself that these days would not be the only ones to be blessed by her magical abilities and that her future would be bright and full of joy. These new developments were stunning me. Looking over to Carlisle, I could see the same concern reflected in his eyes, as much as the affection with which he watched her. He smiled at me and nodded the reassurance I was silently seeking.

Bless his heart – Carlisle was working hard in his own way to project the assurance that Renesmee's future was a good one, as well as frantically researching everything he could on her condition. Where last year I would've sought comfort from Charlie when I was out of my depth, this situation was way out of his comfort zone, as it was for the rest of us really. Carlisle, youthful as he looked, was the wise soul here and the father figure we all looked towards for guidance. I was no different in deferring to his wisdom and strength, even on this matter. I was grateful that he had Edward as an equally intelligent sounding board for his ideas.

The baby giggle-factor had ramped up in the background while I was in thought and when I looked over to Edward on the far side of the room, I could see that Rosalie had joined in their fun. Screams of laughter were now emanating from Renesmee's mouth as they were playing a sort of "pass the parcel" game with her. Stood only a couple of feet apart, Rosalie and Edward were gently passing her from one to the other and tickling her, turning her around and passing her back. Renesmee kept shouting "Again", so Edward and Rosalie obliged. This carried on for a while, much to the amusement of everyone around. Alice was still doing her film director thing and moving around them, capturing it all digitally.

Carlisle came and sat beside me on the couch and slung an arm around my shoulders. "She's being more vocal today isn't she."

I nodded in agreement. "She's enjoying herself, seems to be opening up a little." My eyes still followed the game as I responded distractedly.

"I think her new-found skill at walking will keep her busy for a while. She'll build up muscles and get her balance properly in a few days. The growth spurt can't go on forever and the extra energy she uses to walk will probably tire her out." Carlisle squeezed my shoulders. "She's our own little miracle, isn't she?"

I smiled ruefully. "Yeah, it's hard to believe it's been less than a month since I was sat like a beached whale on this couch, drinking blood from a cup and worrying about Edward's state of mind." I saw Edward tilt his head slightly when I mentioned his name.

The images of those days were still quite strong but, rather like the pain of childbirth, were receding into murkier memory as newer sensations and experiences steadily developed in their place. The memory of my transformation was in fact more sharply ingrained in my mind than the whole childbirth trauma. Added to that was Edward's new-found confidence and more relaxed manner. It felt like we were a whole world away from the Bella and Edward of a month ago.

Eventually Renesmee tired of the game with Edward and Rosalie, and put started to rub her face and eyes. She put a hand on Edward's cheek and I saw him kiss her and croon to her quietly. He brought her over to me. "She wants her momma."

Smiling at him as he kissed me, I gratefully took our daughter back and drew her to my chest. Her head went instantly to my shoulder as she settled against me. I pulled her legs around my waist and clasped my arms around her back, cupping her head and snuggling her in. Her finger went into her mouth and we sat like that for a good hour or so, having quiet time, with Carlisle on one side of me and Edward on the other as they both opted to read some magazines or other they'd picked up from the coffee table. I stroked Renesmee's hair and quietly looked out of the vaulted windows to the lawn outside, watching the trees gently sway and enjoying the lull in activities.

This was how Charlie found us when he arrived for his afternoon visit. The instant I saw his car, I steeled myself for his scent as Edward kept his arm around me. Carlisle stood up and went to greet Charlie, while Esme went to make him a cup of coffee. After shaking hands, Carlisle excused himself and said he was going to his study for a while. I could guess what he was going to do as he laid a hand on my arm in passing and mussed Renesmee's hair fondly.

Charlie came to sit down on the couch more or less next to me and my mind nearly melted with the onslaught of his body heat, the scent and the pulsing of his blood through his veins. I tried to ignore the big vein running up the side of his neck and was very glad to have fed not long before. However, I couldn't help but tense up and Edward squeezed me gently to signal he'd sensed it.

I automatically handed a quiescent Renesmee over to Charlie and leaned back slightly towards Edward, who pulled me into him, twisting in his seat to accommodate me. I twisted too, bringing my legs up, and leaned back more properly into him. In this fashion, I could gain a little distance from Charlie, but in a way that kept me protected by Edward and that looked quite natural for a newlywed couple watching their daughter in her grandpa's arms.

Esme brought Charlie's drink to the coffee table in front of us and scooted herself in between Charlie and me, putting her body and her scent there as a buffer. I subtly rubbed her back affectionately in thanks and realised this would look entirely natural to Charlie. The support of my adopted family was tremendous and with their help I knew I'd get through these challenges. However, it was still one day at a time.

Esme being there meant I didn't have to talk so much. Renesmee was as good as gold, being more like a human baby - quiet, pensive, fingers in her mouth as she listened to her grandpa and grandma chat to one another, smiling up at them sweetly when they spoke to her.

While Renesmee was sat on Charlie's lap, I noticed the soles of her cream tights were slightly discoloured from the walking she'd done. I knew Charlie would never notice but I silently bet that Alice would notice and the tights would almost certainly be destined for Goodwill before the day was out - having unlimited money certainly played to Alice's spendthrift nature!

Having waited for Charlie to arrive and settle, Emmett and Jasper elected to go outside and play ball out on the big lawn. We could see them laughing and teasing each other good-naturedly as they threw the ball around. This gave Charlie some added distraction as he cuddled and chatted. He asked us how things were going and how we were filling our days. We glibly intimated that our days were filled playing with Renesmee, going for walks, surfing the internet and dealing with the endless round of feeds and needs of our daughter. Charlie seemed to accept it all at face value, for which I was thankful. I could see him peering at me now and then with interest until he eventually commented on how well I seemed to have recovered from the birth. Edward responded that he was proud at how I was coping with motherhood, and brushed the back of my head with a kiss as he said that.

I wondered if anybody other than the Quileutes knew about Charlie's new family member but decided that Edward would warn us if that ever happened. The cover story was there, ready and waiting. I also wondered how Sue's education of him into this alternative world was going and how much he already knew.

I was grateful when Rosalie and Alice decided to show Charlie some photos and they joked about getting some toys for Charlie's house for when Renesmee came to visit there. They were great at distracting him for the remainder of his visit and he stayed just over an hour before saying his goodbyes, seemingly happy.

I heaved a sigh of relief once he had hugged me and left the house. With Renesmee back in my arms, I waved him goodbye from the doorway. Even though I'd taken as few breaths as I could, it had still been a strain and I sucked in the scent of my daughter to counterbalance the fire in my throat. She calmed me down a little and as I turned around to go back inside, Edward was there waiting patiently, leaning towards me to claim a kiss. I sucked in his much-needed scent too, but was definitely still feeling shaky and stressed.

"Rose, could you take Renesmee for a short while?" asked Edward, turning us into the room. Rosalie smiled up at us and nodded her assent, so I walked over to her and handed my baby over with a kiss. Rosalie would attend to the ritual of feeding and soothing her as it was almost time for the baby's feed.

Edward steered me across the room and up the stairs, taking my hand and heading for his old room. As we walked along the top corridor towards it, he groaned and pulled me over, walking me back to the wall. He put his arms up on either side of my head, pushing himself in close, effectively pinning me against the wall.

He leaned in to the side of my face and I felt his tongue connect with my earlobe. I stood still, just taking a moment to enjoy the feeling, barely daring to breathe. His lips trailed gently around my jaw line, dropping featherlight kisses on me as he went. He was making me quiver as he moved around to the other side of my face, skipping past my lips for the moment as I eagerly anticipated his arrival there. He worked his kisses up to my other earlobe and breathed in my ear "I love you", kissing his way down my neck and around to the hollow in my throat. I was now arching out from the wall, leaving my neck more open to his caresses as I kept my hands braced against the wall. It reminded me of when he had done more or less the same thing against his vehicle that day he took me up to the forest trails. I remembered how his kisses had left me breathless and overcome. They pretty much did the same thing now.

He hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me upright, moving us towards the bedroom door again. As we entered the bedroom, I breathed in the fresh cool, less heady, air there and instantly felt some mental relief. My mind had felt crowded after the tense experience downstairs and now Edward was well on his way to relaxing me further.

He quietly closed the door behind us and pulled me to him, bear-hugging me. I nestled in, glorying in his embrace and his peaceful aura. He wanted to calm me and was doing ok so far. We stood there for a while like that. My wonderful thoughtful husband knew just what I needed. I looked up at him, chin on his chest, and took in his kind eyes and his smile. After gazing at me and moving my hair off my face, he finally reached down and kissed me on the lips tenderly, lingering over it. This was pure heaven. I didn't move away and so he came back again, parting his lips and mine so our tongues could meet. His delicious aroma mixed with mine and his tongue played softly with mine. I couldn't help but cling to him and kiss him back more needily. His kisses always left me begging for more - my vampire need for his kisses was as bad as my human need had been.

He then gently moved the tip of his tongue along my lips and I felt the jolt in my groin as he did so. This brought a moan from my lips and his instinctive reaction was to push himself firmly against me. This in turn brought an intake of breath from me as my desire started to burn through me.

I felt his hand reach out and turn the key in the door lock. He turned us around and walked me backwards towards the bed while still in his bear-hug. As my knees connected with the edge of the bed, he gently leaned me back and laid me down on the covers, scooting me back up to the bank of pillows. He crawled over me as I leaned back on my pillow mountain, putting his full weight on me to continue the deep kisses.

This was too much temptation and I started to haul his top up and over his head so I could reach the bare skin of his neck and shoulders. As he leaned back from me slightly, I stroked the silky hair on his chest and grabbed his face with both hands so I could love him back with more kisses. All the while, Edward was steadily removing our clothing until he was able to get at me more freely. He lifted himself so I could adjust my position under him, spreading my legs.

Pulling me down onto the bed a short way and looking intently into my eyes, he slid into me easily, pushing himself all the way. He paused to grab a kiss and then started steadily stroking in and out of me. The sense of peace I felt right then was what I had been seeking - our connected bodies giving us the comfort we needed in that moment. Edward's slow and steady motions and his deep kisses, as he made love to me, were blissful and perfect as we found our own little piece of heaven away from the family for a short while.

All of this was enjoyed in silence and with the sweet sighs of gentle loving rather than the groans and cries of outright lustfulness which had punctuated our sexual activities recently.

It didn't take long for the intensity of our emotions to bring us both to a wonderfully gentle but satisfying climax – Edward's long sigh as he released into me was definitely what I needed to hear and my insides welcomed his offering, drawing him in more deeply as they clenched and twitched around him while he pulsed and hung on to me.

I had dreamed of this gentle loving as a human and this Edward was the young man who had courted me so politely and in such a gentlemanly way. His tender, deep and thoughtful nature was speaking for him today, but what he said next, while I was still wrapped around him, touched me to the core.

"Oh Bella, I wish I could give you another baby" he whispered. "Seeing you today with Renesmee made my heart ache and wish we could fill the house with babies." Edward's eyes were filled with remorse and sadness. His face showed pain when it should have shown contentment and peace.

"Sshh, love." I kissed his lips to quieten him. "Don't say that. I'm thankful for what we've got, what I never realised we could have. You and Renesmee are all I need. It's more than enough, so don't go looking for more heartache. Promise me?" Poor Edward - it seemed like he couldn't stop feeling guilty. I would definitely have to break him of this habit.

He paused a moment and then nodded, placing a soft kiss on me. "I love you so much, Bella."

"I know you do, and I love you too Edward, with all my heart, but please don't be sad - we've been blessed and shouldn't ask for more. Let's enjoy what we've got. Let's just find our bliss where we can."

He smiled ruefully in response and acknowledged I was right.

I nudged him with my hip. "And right now, I've blissfully got you where I want you."

"Oh what - again?" He tilted his head questioningly. It was me who nodded this time as he came in for a longer kiss and started moving once more inside me. "I'll see what I can do." he whispered with that half-smile I adored.

***

**A/N: Tender and loving, just the way I love them. Bella will teach Edward alot about acceptance over time.**

**Thank you for following my story. Special thanks also go to fellow authoresses Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTua(dot)Cantante(dot)83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been hugely supportive and patient. Cuddles to Baynewen for her staunch support throughout – you're fabulous girl and please give your menfolk a cuddle from me!**


	30. Fire & Ice

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: Hot lemon & honey - a hot Teddy!**

**Dedication: **For Wendy, a staunch supporter.

**Music: **Biffy Clyro - Many of Horror (When We Collide) - I love this song!**  
**

**CHAPTER 30: FIRE & ICE**

**BPOV:**

"Ooh look what I've found!" commented Edward as he ambled into the bedroom, jingling some handcuffs at me. The grin on his face was decidedly wicked.

I unconsciously bit my lip as I watched at him approach me, but he brought it to my attention when he kissed me, saying. "Oh my love, you don't know what you do to me when you do that thing with your lip - I always want to kiss you stupid, no matter where we are. Come here...."

He leaned forward to kiss me again, this time more deeply. He pulled me tight to his chest and I felt one handcuff snap onto my wrist, swiftly followed by the other a moment later.

I reckoned I had about 5 seconds to decide whether to resist or go with it. In an instant, I decided it might be fun to go with it.

"Um….Renesmee?" I cocked an eyebrow at him in question.

He shrugged. "She's sleeping soundly. I think we can safely assume we won't be disturbed."

"What about us disturbing her?"

"Hmmm….let's see how we go..…but first…." Before I knew, I'd been whisked onto the bed and secured by my wrists to the bedposts, leaving my legs unfettered.

Edward ran his hands lightly over my body and dropped a kiss on my lips, then another one, then another one, making noises of pleasure as he did so. I grinned up at him through the kisses, enjoying his attentions and trusting him completely.

Little did I know...

He scanned my body when he pulled back. "Hmmm….these will have to go, even though only _you_ can pull off 'sexy' in a pair of jogging bottoms!" Off came my leggings, which I'd only just changed into after a hot shower, having spent the day playing on the floor with our daughter up at the house.

Edward ran his fingertips up the inside of one of my legs, sending a fan of electricity towards my groin. I squealed and squirmed as it tickled. He chuckled quietly and whipped off my snuggly socks, which I'd only just put on. He kissed the instep of each foot and licked it. He massaged the soles of my feet, making them tingle. His strong thumbs lingered under the heels of my feet, pressing there firmly in a static pressure. Hot flushes hit my belly, whether in reaction to that or his intent gaze as he did it, I don't know.

He moved steadily up my legs with his tongue, making my toes curl as I arched off the bed. He stopped by my lacy undies, licking along the bikini line and then removing the garmet slowly with his teeth. He growled gently with approval as he smelled my aroma. Hot damn, but he was sexy when he did that!

He removed my blouse, slowly and painstakingly unbuttoning it. He was very much taking his time, glancing at me as I watched him breathlessly. He still had to rip the blouse off when he'd done the buttons as there was no other way to remove it – it was slightly shocking after his gentle handling.

When it came time for my bra to come off, he leaned in to nuzzle my neck as he reached under my back to unhook it. I enjoyed his nuzzling and his scent. Then he ripped the bra off, wafting a breeze of air over my torso as he blew over my chest. He trailed the tips of his fingernails along my skin from my armpits right down my sides to my thighs as far as he could reach. It made my skin come alive.

I'd been holding my breathe and expelled it loudly as he finished that tantalising motion with his fingers.

As I was revealed to him in all my glory, he looked me over with appreciation. He was dead sexy when he said nothing at all and just used his eyes to communicate. His eyes were dark and he was communicating his lust very clearly. I wondered how he would channel it, so I watched him with saucer eyes and a smile in anticipation of what was coming next.

"Hmm now what shall I do? Shall I simply rub those sweet tips?" He gently massaged my breasts, running his fingers round their dark rims, making them pebble and stand up proudly. "Or shall I kiss them and suckle their perfection?" He covered them with his tongue, swirling them round then popping them in his mouth as he watched me watching him.

There was amusement in his eyes as he stilled. "Or shall I bite them?"

Now I hitched a breath and squinted at him. "Don't you dare Edward!"

He sat back and rubbed the tips of my breasts under his palms. "Oh come now, what about the pain/pleasure principle and all that?"

He blurred forward and took a nipple in his mouth and began to nibble at it. That definitely got me arching off the bed and grunting. He moved to the other one and did the same, nipping that one more sharply. I grunted even louder. He laved me with his tongue after biting, changing the sensation again. He teased me with his teeth, nipping ever harder and I could feel myself harden down below as his erotic technique worked on me. My eyes pretty much crossed from the feel of him on me.

He moved away, leaving me gasping. "Stay there, don't move a muscle." he commanded and blurred out of the room. I blew out a huff of air at the momentary reprieve. It's not like I was going anywhere in a hurry.

I heard Edward rooting around in the kitchen. He walked back to the bedside with something in his hands. "I've got something here to take the sting away, my love."

In a trice, he had straddled my hips, produced two ice cubes in his hands and proceeded to lightly swirl them around my nipples. I squealed at this attack. His response was to lean down and cover my mouth with his as he continued to rub the ice cubes around while I writhed away underneath him. I kissed him back as hard as I could - I had no intention of being entirely submissive even if I _was_ physically restrained for the moment.

It took a while for the ice cubes to melt, but Edward enjoyed licking the resulting liquid from me, as he massacred my chest with his tongue and pinned my legs down with his body. His attentions to my chest had made my groin jolt into action - the warmth was spreading down there rapidly. I now realised that Edward was probably going to torture me to a climax with tongue-loving alone. That was fine by me as long as I could have him again properly afterwards.

My arousal was not going unnoticed – if I could smell it, then so could he. Edward's jeans seemed to be fitting more snugly than they should, but I couldn't get at him to do anything about it - yet.

Edward shuffled backwards a few inches and moved his tongue down to my belly. He made sweeping circles around my bellybutton, ghosting along my bikini line again and lingering maddeningly close to my mound. He swept forward and made his way back to my chest again. Damn him! I groaned with frustration. Edward merely chuckled quietly and watched my face as his tongue snaked out and tickled my peaks again. I strained against the handcuffs in response. "Steady," he muttered. "Don't break the bed." I could only growl at him as I squirmed under his tongue.

He bent over me for a deep lingering kiss and as venom pooled in my mouth, we clashed tongues as each of us sought dominance in the kiss. I bit his lip for good measure, drawing blood, and squinted up at him with a glare for teasing me. His answering smirk made me think he was now going to punish me sweetly for that little transgression. _Well bring it on, Cullen!_

He seemed to read my mind. "Hmm well now, if you're going to be naughty, I'm going to have to punish you, aren't I?" He sat back on his haunches as he made a big thing out of debating what to do. A minute or so ticked by as I waited. I watched him carefully, wondering what the payback was going to be, a little distracted as my nipples were still doing the tango after that assault with the ice.

He leaned over to the plastic iceholder and tipped out a couple more ice cubes into the palm of his hand, making sure I saw them. I followed their journey towards my body.

He wafted his hand over me, hovering over my chest again and then dropped a cube down into the valley between my breasts. I hissed when he did this. With one finger, he trailed the cube down over my belly towards my mound. He shuffed back down my legs. Nailing me with a gaze and a wicked smile, he slid the ice cube lower down between my folds as I arched my back and moaned. "Edward!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Don't you dare..." I warned through gritted teeth.

"Dare what?" His expression quirked slightly as he said this.

"You know full well."

"Dare what?" he squinted at me with amusement. "What? Do this?" With that he popped the ice cube inside me, using his long slender finger to push it further towards my core.

My eyes widened with shock. "Aaaagh I'll kill you!" The ice cube made its presence felt and my muscles reacted instinctively, twingeing as the thing went north, getting sucked in like a homing device. Edward felt happen that as his finger was caught inside me. His dirty giggle only made me squirm more as I tried to kick him off me and free my legs.

"Mmmmm I'd like to follow that little ice cube home....." he mumbled, putting his lips against my clit and gave it a huge lick.

Of course while I was diverted with the one ice cube, he sneaked in and placed another one down over my mound in place of his tongue, rubbing it around. Now I owed him - big time!

I grunted and groaned as he lavished attention on me with the other ice cube, taking it around my belly and up to my breasts. I was a popsicle now! My skin was quivering and alive with the sensation of ice cold wet - it didn't burn like it would have done on human skin, but my mind still told me it was cold. I could definitely feel it.

The ice cube was melting very slowly with only the ambient temperature to alter it, leaving Edward lots of time to rub it over me. Eventually, he headed south and down over my mound again, down to where I wanted him and his manhood to be, not some damned ice cube. It slipped out of his fingers, so he parted my legs to fumble around for it. His hand cupped my backside in the process. He paused a moment and I saw a flash of something cross his eyes.

A deviant thought crossed my mind. "No, Edward, you wouldn't...."

"Wouldn't I, love?" A wicked smile graced his handsome face. "Does the thought turn you on?"

I cursed him out soundly, so I think he got the idea. He threw the ice cube across the room and leaned over me, closing in on my face. "We'll save that for another time maybe..." He mumbled as he dropped a kiss on my lips. "You ok?" I pinned him with my "what do you think?" look.

"Hmmm you're sexy as hell when you're mad, Bella". He chuckled his delight at my situation while I glared at him. So much for trusting him.

"I'll make it up to you." he said with a knowing smile. He shuffled sideways and started using his finger this time to rub me as his face hovered about 2 inches from mine, breathing his sweet scent over me. He rubbed my clit steadily, dipping in and out of me with his finger here and there. As I tensed, out shot the ice cube! He giggled again and shook his head in wonder. "Wow! That's some party trick!"

I wondered if he was going to take full advantage of me now the way was clear. However, he was having way too much fun playing with me.

"Remember this little friend?"

As if by magic, a little silver item appeared in his other hand. It was that lipstick vibrator I'd used on him not so long ago. I groaned in remembrance.

He switched it on. "Remember how you used this on me?" I nodded, smiling quietly. "Good." He brought the buzzy thing to my chest and lightly teased my nipples with it.

"Oh my god....Edward" My toes curled up with pleasure and I bit down on my lip to stifle a scream.

Edward's eyes turned darker as he saw my response. In a blur he was undressed down to his soft jersey boxer shorts which were straining under the pressure of his arousal. He then moved the vibrator from one nipple to the other and back again as I bucked under its action. "Does that feel good Bella? Do you like it?"

I nodded but couldn't say anything as I was being driven mad with the sensations.

Edward moved the vibrator down my belly and onto my clit, pushing it into my folds and moving it back and forth. As he did so, he covered my mouth with his own, so my resulting scream of pleasure was swallowed by his kiss. The vibrator felt good and his kiss felt good and the feeling was out of this world.

He lifted his head and I felt him stretch over towards my hands. There was a click, followed by another on the other side, and my hands were released from their restraints. My arms went straight round him. He resumed his long kiss as he cradled me with one hand and wielded the vibrator with his other.

He moved the vibrator just inside me and it was all I needed to send me over the edge. Bucking and quivering as the waves of pleasure rolled up and down me, I gushed wetness all over Edward's hand. He was devouring my mouth as I climaxed, moaning into me. We stayed with mouths clamped as I rode wave after wave of pleasure out from his hand movements.

I came down steadily from my climax after he stopped kissing me. The vibrator was silent now. A few minutes later, I looked at his lap and noticed he was still hugely aroused after he'd attended to my pleasure. He'd controlled himself somehow and was still fully erect.

"Edward..."

"Mmmmmm, are you ok my love?" He was evidently waiting for me to get my bearings.

"Yeah. Come here." He leaned in towards me again. "Bring him here." I tilted my chin towards his lap.

He smirked and looked at me, raising an eyebrow. I could see he was debating about it. "Are you sure?" I nodded my head.

"How do you want to do this then?" he asked, being solicitous now I'd had my climax and he'd released me so I could move freely.

"I want you to use your mouth on me, so I'll leave you to work it out." I grinned at him and waggled an eyebrow.

I could see the penny drop and he smiled hugely. "Ok, if you're sure..."

He removed his underwear, climbed onto the pillow and dropped himself down so I was faced with the beautiful sight of him fully aroused. He positioned himself so his nose was directly over my own arousal and he moaned his pleasure at the scent. "Mmmmm Bella you smell delicious."

"Shut up and give him to me" I murmured. He swiftly complied, lowering himself down so I could take him in my mouth. My venom rose at the sight of him. I kissed the length of him, and rubbed my lips along him, making him groan loudly. I licked the tip of his shaft and slid him over my tongue, relaxing my throat as he went in. He rumbled with pleasure.

In turn he dived into my folds and brought his tongue to bear on me, making me jolt. He gently started to thrust in and out of my mouth and I took him in further each time until he was touching the back of my throat.

We only managed a few minutes of that as Edward's wits scattered while I worked on him. I was enjoying what he was doing to me, but I was concentrating on his pleasure more. As I sucked and licked him, he stopped what he was doing and put his forehead on my thigh, groaning deeply and tensing.

"Jesus Bella I don't know how much more of that I can take." He groaned again, very loudly this time and I tasted pre-cum.

"Mmmmmm" I kept sucking and moving on him, finding myself enjoying him and his taste as my desire started spiking again. I sucked harder and felt Edward tightening.

"Aaagh Bella, I can't hold it. I'm going to come." He said this through clenched teeth. "It's no good, I've got to move". He sounded slightly distressed but I renewed my iron hold on him, not letting him go anywhere. He only made the one effort to move away then groaned into my thigh, unable to do anything except hug me tightly as I worked on him and willed him to let go.

What I was doing to him obviously worked as he let out a muffled cry and exploded exuberantly into my throat. Shudders racked through him as he pulsed in my mouth, his beautiful rainbow essence seeping out of him and into me. I greedily took it all, relishing the notion that I'd pleasured him enough to do that. Oral sex was turning out to be fantastic and I wasn't ashamed to say I enjoyed it.

"Oh God Bella, I'm sorry." He moaned, his face still buried in my groin as he panted.

I slid him from my mouth with a kiss. "Well I'm not sorry one little bit, Edward, so stop it!"

He didn't say anything more, but after a few minutes, I felt him start probing again. He parted my outer lips and started to make love to me again with his tongue, with sweeping licks and nibbles. I was already disgustingly wet with arousal and my previous release, but he licked that all up like a cat washing itself. My insides twitched and my groin muscles quivered as he kept working on me, rumbling his own contentment. The vibrations of his rumbles worked some magic too as I called his name and started to thrash under him. I could see him stiffening again above me and so I grabbed the chance to lick him again.

That jolted him as he'd been concentrating on me. All of a sudden, he whipped himself away from my roving mouth and did a 180 turn over me. He rammed himself straight inside me in a swift movement, his eyes closed in pleasure as he started to stroke in and out of me steadily. He hovered over me but didn't put his full weight on me. I shut my eyes and simply enjoyed his thrusting.

I heard a rustle, followed by a click and whir, and the vibrator came back into play again. He placed it at the front of me, over my curls down near my opening, pressing it hard against my clit. He immediately put his full body weight on me, sandwiching the vibrator between us, holding it in place.

I tensed in reaction, clamping down instantly as the vibrations rippled up and down my insides. The combination of the intense vibrations plus Edward being inside me at long last did the trick and I convulsed hard around him making him gush into me again with a shout. He rammed himself more deeply in me as he came.

It was sublime.

Edward swept the buzzy thing out of the way onto the floor and collapsed onto me. We chuckled breathlessly and kept kissing through the laughter. Who'd have thought such a tiny silver toy could bring so much pleasure?

But I was definitely going to get him back for the ice cubes....

***

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me encouraging feedback. Special thanks go to Baynewen, Content1, CorvidCoccinelle, EliseShaw, LaTuaCantante83, RiaMaria & Totteacher who have been wonderfully kind and patient with me. **

**I would recommend you check out Bandmum's story "Choices" about Bella & Edward, where Bella is actually hit by the truck in the car park and her lifepath changes. It is a poignant, beautifully handled and tender love story which deserves recognition: ****www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/4996891/1/**


	31. Reflections

**Disclaimer: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **Lemons**  
**

**Dedication: **For Elise and Natalie, whose kind words and support this week got me through the latest writing crisis!

**Music vibe:** Landslide - Fleetwood Mac/Dixie Chicks**  
**

**CHAPTER 31: REFLECTIONS  
**

**TOLD FOR A CHANGE FROM EDWARD'S POV  
**

Bella was in the shower, freshening up after our slightly risqué antics from a short while ago.

Much as I would have loved to join her in there, I refrained from doing so, because Renesmee had been drifting in and out of sleep next door, and I didn't trust myself to keep the noise down, if Bella got busy with the soap on me.

Renesmee wasn't in any distress, merely stirring awake more than she had been on previous nights at the cottage.

I had gone into the nursery to check on her. She was comfortable and quiet, dozing peacefully, but just not in a deep sleep.

Standing there for several minutes watching her wriggle, stretch and then drift off, I ached to pick her up, but did not want to disturb her any more than necessary. Her little mouth made shapes as she snuffled and a smile crept over my face as I watched her, our special miracle, created out of our love.

As the colours and shapes started to appear more strongly in her mind, I eased back out of the room silently, content to leave her be.

Back in the bedroom, while I tidied up, my thoughts went to what had just taken place there. I wasn't entirely sure Bella had forgiven me for the attack of the ice cubes, but she seemed to enjoy the other things we had got up to. The new toys had spiced things up and had been enjoyable, but were probably not going to feature large in our future love-making, unless Bella wanted them to, of course.

Much as I loved Alice's creativity, my little experiment had proved one thing for me. I preferred my Bella _au naturel, _responding to _my_ touch rather than anything else, eyes wide with trust and love: my doe-eyed beauty, now with the firey eyes.

Her eyes were really spectacular, used to them as I now was. They had not yet changed colour in any way, but I knew that in another month or two, the redness would dull down to a deep orange colour.

Their colour intensified after hunting, when my girl flashed confidence and strutted more like the vampire she now was. It was the sexiest thing in my world at the moment and I was doing my best to rock the beast in my wife whenever I could, while we explored each other's limits and likes. We both needed to cut loose, according to my brothers, but I treasured the softer times very much as well.

I would have loved to take Bella hunting before sunrise today, so that we could greet the day outside, perhaps overlooking the Straits, like we had done a couple of weeks earlier. However, having our daughter sleeping at the cottage at nights now meant that this spontaneity was not viable, unless we detoured via the house to leave her safely there. My family already looked after Renesmee a fair bit and we didn't want to burden them any more than necessary, even though they would have welcomed it.

My century of discipline and denial meant that I knew it was best to rein myself in, so, unfortunately, a special dawn greeting for Bella would have to wait until another time. Besides, it was more special - but only just - to wake up with precious Renesmee as she was now, as a baby, than to make love with my wife in an unusual location. It was a tough choice, though, in my new world as a passionate male vampire actively consummating his marriage, but I had to be pragmatic and acknowledge that Bella and I would have many years together to make the most of those particular delights.

In the meantime, both of my beautiful babes were with me at the cottage and it was a satisfying feeling to have my family unit with me here, safe and warm, and loved, right where they belonged. My birth parents would have been proud of me now.

The image of my mother's face came to mind and I momentarily wondered what she would have thought of my beautiful bride.

I already knew she would have been very pleased that I had married for love, and had also found an intelligent and beautiful partner. A granddaughter would definitely have thrilled my mother, especially a sweet child as bright and gifted as ours. A honeymoon baby, as humans, would have been the greatest gift for my parents, who had already been enjoying watching me transition into manhood. A girl and a family would have been the next step in my journey, had the influenza or time in the military not intervened.

I spent a few minutes imagining what Bella would have looked like, in Edwardian outfits, similar to her wedding dress, and being introduced to my mother.

Scenes of afternoon tea and genteel conversations about family and hobbies then made me wonder how on earth Renee, as chaperone, would have been received by polite society. I could imagine her as a creative and excitable _grande dame_, with an artistic salon playing host to writers and painters and philosophers of the day, at her frequent soirées, exciting gossip and consternation by those who did not understand such activities. I imagined my parents would have viewed such a creature as Renee with mild amusement.

It also occurred to me that Renee would have been a mover and shaker in the Suffragette Movement, in the years leading up to the First World War, so her daughter would definitely have grown up with ideals of equality and fair-mindedness. She would, no doubt, have been quite outspoken and liberal for her day.

Charlie would, no doubt, have been a hard-working solid soul at the turn of the century, perhaps in a service similar to the constabulary or postal service, or even the military.

His taciturn and down-to-earth approach would have garnered respect from my father, who would have been delighted to discuss outdoor hobbies with his counterpart. Although learned and bookish, my father also believed in fresh air and exercise - his own main leisure pursuit being walking. I recalled his pride in my track and field abilities, believing they had given me strength and a good constitution.

My parents would have had no qualms about Bella's family not being particularly wealthy, only being concerned that they were honest and decent.

I had no doubts that, had Bella been alive in my day, she would have been taught all of the skills which a girl might need to achieve a good marriage. Her literacy and deductive qualities would definitely have made her a good conversationalist, and not suffer fools gladly.

I chuckled, as I could also imagine her becoming impatient with any girls of a similar age, whose own worlds and hobbies were limited to more conservative activities like sewing, singing and flower-arranging. I smiled at the notion of Bella being forced to learn a musical instrument, such was the tradition for young ladies at the time, and could imagine her epithets and bluntness about such things in private.

Shaking myself from my reverie, I picked up some toiletries from a chest of drawers and took them back into the bathroom. Bella had finished her shower and was fiddling about with cotton buds and talc.

"What are you smiling about, husband?" asked Bella as she mooched about, with a towel wrapped around her torso. "Day-dreaming about a beautiful woman, were you?"

"Yes, as it happens." I threw my best smile at her and bent down to kiss her lips when she offered her face to me. She put her wet arms around my waist and treated me to a very firm, but moist, cuddle. "Want me to towel-dry your hair, my love?"

"Uh-hmm, that would be nice."

A memory from our honeymoon surfaced around that subject, and I bit down on a grin.

Bella leaned back from me. "Is Renesmee ok?"

"Sure, she's fine. Gone back to sleep now. I looked in on her, while you were in the shower." I kissed the top of her head and moved away to snag a fresh towel from the shelf.

"You can use this one if you like...." said my wife, removing her towel, leaving her standing there in her slender, naked, glory, smiling alluringly at me.

I groaned and shut my eyes. If ever there was temptation, this was it.

"You're being dangerous again, Bella. You've only just cleaned up from last time."

"I know," she said as smiled sweetly at me, "But, since Renesmee has gone back to sleep, I just thought we might-"

Her words were cut off as I blurred back in front of her and covered her sweet lips in a kiss. Groaning from my arousal, I felt her smile continue as she kissed me, sucking on my lower lip and running her teeth over it. As she pulled back, she bit her own bottom lip, sending shivers of delight through me with that totally endearing Bella habit.

"Shit!" I murmured, mesmerised by her lips. "Bella, you're a vixen."

Being every inch the 17 year old, my body no longer needed any encouragement to consider sex as part of its agenda, now that it was on my radar. Being a 17 year old, with a beautiful wife to attend to whenever she offered herself to me, my hard-on was almost perpetual. Now the beast had been woken, it rarely slept and its energy levels certainly never flagged.

I was a century-old teenage vampire, with a virtual adrenaline buzz, which was exacerbated even further when hunting. The only thing better than having sex with my wife, was having sex after a hunting session, especially when she encouraged me to really let loose and bite down on her neck.

That feeling of total feral release was beyond glorious, something my Edwardian upbringing was still having trouble reconciling, even after all these years as a vampire.

Nowadays, I was truly in awe of how my brothers actually controlled themselves so much around their mates and how they could deny themselves release for hours at a time. I had gone from 0 to 60mph in very short order, ticking over at 58mph most of the time.

I pulled Bella in towards my body again, anxious to minimise the space between us. I wanted to be skin on skin with her. Good job I was dressed only in soft boxer shorts - it required less effort to get where I wanted to be.

Standing here now in the bathroom, in front of the huge wall-sized mirror, afforded me a great view of Bella's pert behind and her exquisite shape. I ran my hands down over her buttocks, rubbing circles over them with my fingers, and pulling her towards my groin when I could no longer resist. Running a finger along her crack, I was rewarded with the erotic sight of her shuddering in response.

After diving my tongue into her mouth for a short while, and drinking in her luscious scent, I decided it was too good an opportunity not to make use of the mirror.

Gently turning Bella around, I pushed her towards the vanity unit and looked at her beautiful face and naked figure in the mirror. From my position behind her, I could take in the glorious sight of her perfect breasts and the curls at her mound. Her full lips were slightly parted as she gazed back at my reflection.

It was a truly beautiful sight.

Bella barely breathed as she looked at me, evidently waiting for me to make the next move. A half-smile twitched at the corner of her mouth, daring me, willing me. I was putty in her hands emotionally, but the beast was rising and wanted to have at her physically. I gave in to the beast and my eyes darkened with lust.

Stilling my wolfish grin, my hands wandered round to Bella's breasts, cupping each perfect globe and gently thumbing their dark tips. Bella gasped and closed her eyes as she arched herself stiffly in response. Her behind pushed back into my groin, which was already twitching and on high alert, standing to attention. Vigorously.

"Bella...." I moaned, as I feasted my eyes on her and moved my hands over her body.

Spreading the fingers on one hand, I moved it down across her belly towards her mound, plunging my middle finger down into her curls to where the scent of her sex was inviting me to go. Bella was warm and wet, slick already. A muffled groan escaped my lips.

Bella exhaled slowly at my touch down there, and pushed back into me, offering her neck to my mouth. I drifted long kisses along the nape of her neck, moving her damp hair aside as I did so. A smile curled up on one side of her lips again and I wondered what she was thinking, hoping it was something good.

She looked dreamy and relaxed, and totally stunning.

My groin needed no further invitation as I quickly dropped my boxers to the floor and slid my thickness between her thighs, parting her legs slightly, rubbing the tip to and fro lightly. The sensation of her warmth down there, where bliss lay, was also stunning. My nerve endings were doing somersaults as I gloried in her wetness, anticipating what lay ahead.

The air fairly crackled with sexual tension.

Bella continued to lean back into me as I laved her neck with my tongue, wanting to worship every last bit of her skin within reach from where I stood. Her arms reached back over her head to capture my head and pull me in. She ran her hands through my messy hair and she arched her body, offering herself to me.

My arms snaked round her as I positioned her for my entry. A glimpse over her shoulder, of her expression in the mirror, nearly did for me - I fought for control in that instant, nearly spilling my seed right there. I plunged straight into Bella, as her body stayed arched and cooperative. She gave a low growl of satisfaction.

I hugged her fiercely while I drove into her. Her mouth fell open with pleasure and her eyes were shut to all other sensations except the ones I was giving her. As she moved with me and I kept her steadied over my groin, mewing sounds were coming from her more and more, deepening in intensity as I worked within her.

Sounds like that were ambrosia to a desperate man. Her pleasure was my pleasure and the sight of her reflection, as the most divine Venus, drove me over the edge as my mind and body were blown away by the image - such beauty to drive a man insane with lust and love.

I exploded fiercely within Bella, the aftershocks ramming me deeper each time, as Bella hummed her approval. Her serene smile was as beguiling as it was sensual. It took me a few moments to recover my wits, while I stayed clamped against her and within her.

Not wanting it to end there, for Bella's sake, my hand went back to her mound to work on her there. Bella had remained as she was until that moment, with her hands in my hair, but she now tilted her hips slightly forward as I reluctantly moved out of her. Her hands dropped to my shoulders.

She was opening herself up to me at the front, allowing me to work on her with my fingers. A few minutes later, I was rewarded with her shudder of release as she gripped me until she was lost to that moment of bliss. She slumped against me while she bucked and moaned quietly. My grip on her tightened - she was safe in my arms as she let go of herself.

The look of raw sensuality on her face made me fiercely proud, but also emotional. I was mesmerised by her reflection as I watched her fall outside of herself from my efforts, and I had to bite back a sob of awe, amazed that I could make my beautiful bride feel that way.

As I watched Bella's face relax, seeing her come down from her sexual high, her eyes opened, lids heavy, and her crimson eyes burned into my soul. It was a huge jolt and breathtaking in its intensity.

As she leaned back into me, smiling with satisfaction, with my arms wrapped around her, I felt like a king.

***

**A/N: Thank you for your patience while I've had a touch of writer's block with this young couple.  
**

**Thank you also to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave me feedback - would love to hear what you think of this story and the few weeks of pleasure I have endowed our wonderful couple with. **


	32. Knowing

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **A few lemony moments.**  
**

**Dedication: **For the new love of my life, the miracle I never thought to encounter. This one is for you, my snow leopard xxx**  
**

**Music: **From the Twilight soundtrack, Collective Soul - Tremble for my Beloved**  
**

**CHAPTER 32: KNOWING **

**BPOV:**

"So when did you know?" I asked Edward, as we were both getting dressed.

We were getting ready to head up to the main house and Renesmee was slowly stirring in the nursery, but she was not yet fully awake, still in that dozy half-slumbering state, according to Edward.

"When did I know what?" replied my hunky husband, looking at me strangely.

"When did you know I was "The One"?

Edward's mouth lifted in that enigmatic half-smile I adored.

"Oh, that!"

This question was something I had been curious about for a while, but with everything that had gone on in recent weeks, I had not felt comfortable enough to ask. When I thought back, discounting the first couple of months after we met initially, and also leaving out the months that Edward had been away from me "for my safety", we had only actually been together as a couple for just over a year.

For me, the epiphany had been pretty instant.

Obviously there had been a physical attraction between us, for different reasons. Once we started talking in earnest, it was obvious that our bond ran deep and, after James's actions precipitated my rescue only a month into our proper relationship, Edward and I were pretty much welded as a couple, our souls intertwining and totally lost without each other. All that silly business with Edward running away for my own good served only to underline just how intertwined we were and just how emotionally co-dependent.

I knew that vampires did not change character readily, but Esme and Carlisle had both told me how much Edward had softened and become less tense with my arrival on the scene. They had also told me that his affection, once gained, was absolute.

Edward had never really let me in on his thinking, although my subconscious had recognised the deep bond we shared during his absence from Forks and from my life - his vocal projections into my mind in times of high tension had been evidence of that. When I acknowledged it, I realised I had known deep down that all he cared for was me and that my life was his life, and me putting myself in danger just to hear his voice underlined just how deeply I cared for him in return. I was still amazed at the bond we shared, just as he was amazed at the trust I had put in him while I was still human. Yet at the time, I never really gave it a second thought, except on occasion.

My soul had known the truth of our relationship and although it had become a little battered and bruised on its journey, it had never given up hope of being with Edward again one day.

I felt a pang of love and need burst from my chest, breaking from my momentary reverie to focus on Edward, who had now come to sit down beside me on the bed.

"What's brought this on, Bella?" Edward brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes and cupped my chin.

"Are you going to answer the question or not?"

My chin lifted and, for a moment, I felt a surge of irritation cross my thoughts. I loved him dearly but why did Edward always seek to analyse things? Could he not simply answer a question candidly, without thought?

He huffed out a sigh as he saw my slightly irked expression and capitulated.

"Ok, well that's easy. I knew when I came back after high-tailing it to Alaska after our first class together. Your scent was one thing, but my attraction to you was quite another. From the moment I smelled you and saw you, I knew you were special and all I could think about. I came back to try and figure something out and see whether I could physically bear to be around you, because I was totally obsessed with you."

"So four days then?" I queried, just to be sure, smiling ruefully to myself. _Darn it, so it wasn't love at first sight then like it was for me..._

"Yes, that's about the size of it. Of course, I didn't recognise what it was I was feeling, other than I could definitely not let you out of my sight and that I would go mad if I wasn't in your proximity from that time onwards. I came haring back from Alaska because I didn't want to waste another moment away from you, exquisite torture though it was. I also knew I would do just about anything to protect you from harm and so it proved, in very short order."

Edward huffed as he said this, obviously recalling the supercharged events that had led to my hospitalisation down in Phoenix after the attack by James which, of course, was only a few short weeks after Tyler had almost hit me with his vehicle.

"So what about you, then?" Edward asked me in turn. His eyes were boring a hole straight through me, like laser beams.

"Oh, pretty much instantly," I responded airly. "I wasn't sure of why I felt how I did, but from that biology class onwards, I was super-aware of your presence. I felt your loss when you took off after the first class and then spent weeks wondering how you could have got under my skin so quickly, when you weren't even talking to me after that near miss by Tyler. You annoyed me with your indifference."

"So I definitely made an impression then?" Edward smirked and tried to hide his smile with a hand.

"Yeah, you could say that." I smiled at my husband and thought back to those hazy days of first knowing him.

"But you know I was anything but indifferent to you. My skin itched and crawled to take you in my arms while I fought not to take your blood. My throat burned with your maddening scent, but at the same time I couldn't get enough of it."

"It was sort of the same for me. I loved your smell. Still do, in fact. I was super-aware of you too."

I recalled how strangely bewildered I felt at his absence after that first meeting and how I really couldn't wait to see him again, almost as if to reassure myself that he existed and was not a figment of my vivid imagination. Pretty much my every waking moment had been focused on this new character in my life story and, of course, life was never the same after that.

When we had opened up to each other in the meadow, even though we hadn't known every last thing about each other, we had known that we were meant to be together and were prepared to take things as they came and face challenges together, as long as we were together.

Now that I was vampire, being away from Edward, even very briefly, was not something I was prepared to accept at this moment in time. I had been without him too much already in the past and almost went into a state of panic at the thought of him not being there, within hailing distance, any time I might need him. It was as well he was shepherding me closely around in this new vampire world. He centred me and I felt protected.

He was my rock, my constant, and I felt secure in his presence in a way that probably only other mated vampires could understand. That said, I felt sure that if Edward had been a human partner, I would have felt totally the same. Soulmates bonded at a deep level which even their intellects could be baffled by - it was purely instinctive.

Edward looked down at me while I was quickly musing on these things. I could see him out of the corner of my eye. His expression was a little puzzled and quizzical. He was obviously wondering why I had asked this question and if there was something troubling me.

Seeking to reassure him, I reached up to give him a gentle kiss on the lips. Then another one. And another.

Edward responded by snaking his arms around me and pulling me in for a much deeper kiss. I went with it, because his kisses always lifted me to a higher plane. Our tongues met and meshed. His sweet taste filled my mouth and senses, as I inhaled him into my soul. My hand wrapped around the back of Edward's head, pulling him in towards me, just as his own hand mimicked mine.

I enjoyed having my mouth plundered by his tongue and sucked on him greedily.

The tingles were starting to descend down my body and my feral side was beginning to rise. Unable to contain a small growl, I quickly slid onto Edward's lap, straddling him without my tongue leaving his alone in the process.

He reacted with a deep rumble of pleasure, as my groin centred over his. He already had a warm protruding mound there, begging for attention.

I loved the way Edward reacted to me and could hardly believe it sometimes. His passion still awed me and totally turned me on. After all that control of our courtship and the defined lines he had set in the ground, over which we could not step while I was still human, it was still a wonder to me that he could take off like a rocket when I was welded to him, now that we were both vampire.

His sexuality stunned me and I loved it. I loved when his animal passions cut loose.

His confidence in himself, and his place in the family, had blossomed and it had been wonderful to see. He was at last able to hold his head up with his family and rebuff their gentle insults knowingly. He was more relaxed around them and could hold his own with his brothers now, biding his time for payback on the teasing. It was quite funny to watch brother messing around with brother. Edward's evidently legendary rages had ceased, for which I was grateful. It could not have been healthy for him to be so frustrated and I rather guessed that Carlisle was relieved at the subsidence of Edward's temper and resentment. Edward smiled a lot more apparently as well and, of course, was less brooding and tortured, as Emmett liked to describe him.

Lots of naughty thoughts flickered through my mind as I tongued Edward back fiercely. My whole universe in the moment centred on him and his attentions to me.

Even though we had been both fully dressed and about to get Renesmee ready for the day, it only took an instant for us both to shed the clothing on our bottom halves and start to satisfy the need which had been building throughout our initial kisses.

I pulled back from Edward's face, chuckling a little as our ardour got the better of us. Edward's heavy lids opened in surprise, revealing darkened irises.

"What?"

"I love the way you kiss me back. I can't get enough of you."

"Feeling's mutual, my love," he answered, in between snagging more kisses. "When I kiss you, I just want to keep going forever. You're mesmerising."

"Good, I'm glad, because I've got lots more kisses to give you."

I was almost purring with satisfaction now.

Edward responded by shoving his tongue in my mouth more firmly, while swiftly sliding me onto his cock, right to the hilt. A shudder of pleasure ran through me and a gasp flew from me in response. My skin goosebumped and a sexual wave passed over me like a steady breeze.

I revelled once again in the glory of Edward's loving – he made me melt every time.

"God, Bella, you're beautiful," sighed my emotional husband.

He set about making love to me steadily, as he quietly plunged in and out of me, guiding me with his hands and keeping me locked in place. I hung my arms around his neck and held on, squeezing my eyes tightly shut as I had the breath kissed out of me. Edward moved onto my neck, snuffling breathily in my ear and making me pebble with pleasure. Edward's hand moved to one of my breasts and squeezed gently, moving downwards to kiss my breastbone, snaking his tongue towards my nipple as he leaned me backwards to reach it.

I simply groaned with pleasure....

When I opened my eyes to glance at Edward, he had a slight smile on his face as he worked over my chest area, snagging more kisses as he passed. He was pleased with himself, smug in the knowledge that his caresses made me feel so wonderful. He wordlessly held me in place as he worked away at me, sending tingling sensations down my chest area and down my legs between which he was planted sturdily.

I let myself go in the sensations that Edward was creating for me as he held me tight. He wanted to set the pace and make love to me and I was accepting of that. I would get to love him properly myself later. With no further thought than that, I immersed myself in the act of love, feeling every inch of Edward inside me as he brought us both steadily towards our release.

There was no place I would rather have been in those moments, as Edward's climax bore testament to his pleasure in me, and my own control shattered in a million pieces around him.

I felt like I had known my husband for decades, so comfortable was I in his embrace. I knew he loved me like nothing else on Earth. I knew I loved him more than life itself, as I had recently shown.

From that love had sprung a wonderful surprise and she was next door, coming more fully awake by the moment.

However, Renesmee would have to wait a few minutes longer to see her mummy and daddy this morning!

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay in the update. Real life kind of blew me away as you may have guessed from the notes at the top! Thank you for your patience.**


	33. Nil by Mouth

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **Lemon tart, with cream, and a side order of freshly squeezed lemon juice.**  
**

**Dedication: **to my friend April (Content1) who does so much to inspire me and is, by a wonderful twist of Fate, my beta on the Twilighted site! A secondary dedication goes to the wonderful EliseShaw - please see my author's note at the bottom. And to Martyn.**  
**

**Music: **A classic to get dancing by - Black Magic Woman - Santana/Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac**  
**

**CHAPTER 33: NIL BY MOUTH  
**

**BPOV:**

Edward stared intently into my eyes, almost hypnotising me with his gaze. He stayed as motionless as a statue for several moments, as if memorising every bit of my face after months away from me. In reality it only been a day out hunting with his brothers.

But a whole day away from each other nonetheless. Torture for both of us.

His stillness silenced the quiet murmurs around us, as each of the family suddenly noticed the change in atmosphere and turned to observe us. I felt slightly self-conscious, but also mesmerised by Edward's focused stare. His golden eyes bore steadily into my crimson ones, and his pupils contracted. His irises darkened steadily as his body reacted to being close to mine once more.

Just beyond Edward's shoulder, I was aware of Esme smiling gently at us, no doubt remembering past reunions with Carlisle after time spent apart. In my peripheral vision, I could also see Carlisle, stood beside his wife with an arm slung around her shoulder. He was running his other hand through his hair and seemed amused at the reunion scenes of his sons and their wives. Stood there with a grin on his face, looking from Esme to Edward then to me, he was evidently waiting for our moment to break.

Alice also waiting nearby, with her hands pressed together in front of her face, grinning as she glanced up at Jasper. Her excitement was palpable. Jasper, in turn, was also smiling, his dimples in evidence, as he soaked up the emotion of the tender moment between his younger brother and new bride.

Emmett's face was a picture of wry delight and amusement, no doubt capturing in his mind some teasing comments to throw at Edward and me later on. Momentarily, I could see him a few feet back from Edward, jostling with Rosalie behind the couch, and just knew he was stifling some crass comment. Rosalie was tugging on his shirt sleeve, trying to distract him. I suspected she was craving another kiss and could imagine she was slightly irritated by his fascination with his brother instead.

My new vampire brain took all of these elements into account as I quickly switched my gaze back to Edward, drawn back to his stare as if in a tractor beam. It was a really intense atmosphere between us, the air crackling, the tenderness of his manner quite spellbinding and overwhelming.

Edward finally wrenched his gaze from me and kissed Renesmee's temple, closing his eyelids for an instant to capture her scent. He lifted her out of my arms and put her on one hip for a moment. I fully expected him to pay her close attention, but instead, he pulled me towards him and put a hand behind my neck.

Bending down slowly, he softly kissed my lips, leaning into the kiss. We both breathed out a sigh of relief, relaxing into our embrace. Edward tilted his head from side to side as he deliberately demanded further kisses from me from different angles, tenderly, carefully and breathtakingly. I absorbed his affection and relished his silent devotion.

Renesmee impatiently interrupted us by putting her palms on our cheeks, throwing images of our lingering kisses back at us. I felt Edward smile briefly, but he did not break his contact with me as I thought he might.

After the longest while, Edward broke off his kisses and turned back to Renesmee, bussing her cheek as tenderly as he had kissed me, but naturally without the passion. Her face dimpled in delight and she clapped her hands together. Her eyes squinted and she batted her eyelids furiously as her daddy brushed his lips over her skin and kissed his way round her face and into her neck. Her teeth shone whitely as her grin filled her face.

"More, daddy!" she demanded, giggling, as the progressively speedy kisses tickled her neck and raised goosebumps across her sparkly skin.

I leaned in and blew some raspberries on the other side of her neck, tickling her ribs as I did so. Her eyes glinted with amusement, long dark lashes framing her perfect chocolate irises.

She was only 29 days old and already so advanced in development that she blew me away, reacting like she was 18 months old and talking now like a 2 year old.

Her laughter filled the room and changed the atmosphere of the family's intense reunion into the more joyous experience and healing that only a child's laughter can bring. Smiles lit up the faces of all around me, as we all gazed in wonder and amusement, captivated by this bundle of fun in our arms.

I shook my head in disbelief at my daughter and chuckled quietly. Her beguiling joy showered magic and sparkles on us. She was still innocent of what a special and amazing little person she actually was.

Once the golden moments of that reunion were over, we all settled down to a fairly routine evening of playtime on the big flatscreen, catching up on local and family news, telling stories about Renesmee's latest awe-inspiring activities and, of course, playing with her and feeding her.

Jacob and Seth joined us for some food and the banter, as well as cuddles with my daughter. Leah however refused to enter the house, once more opting to run patrol around the house. It was the only cloud on an otherwise pleasant evening. We could see her glancing up furiously at the house when she passed out front and it was unsettling to both Jacob and Seth, although they tried to hide it.

Eventually, Seth, good-natured lad that he was, commented that he would join her. He quickly transformed as he sped into the woods to protect his modesty. Jacob then visibly relaxed and concentrated on shouting loudly at the boisterous game underway on the flatscreen. The boys were tag-teaming each other and making a lot of noise. Each time Jacob's turn on the console was over, he instantly begged whichever family member was holding Renesmee for the chance to cuddle her until his next turn.

Rosalie naturally gave him a hard time about his priorities, but actually looked as though she secretly relished his return to the game, because it meant she could hold Renesmee again for a while. She and Esme took turns to walk Renesmee around the room and keep her occupied.

Watching Rosalie crooning to my baby was at once poignant and wonderful. Emmett's big frame would also tenderly wrap his wife in his arms as they rocked from side to side, quietly talking to her and pointing out things of interest outside the big windows.

The expanse of glass and enhanced eyesight enabled them to bring the outside indoors and with every day that passed, we were convinced that Renesmee could already see things in the twilight gloom as well as we all could.

I commented about that once again and, before I knew it, Jasper had blurred out of the back of the house and around into the woods at the front. Renesmee's keen hearing could make out movement outside and she had evidently heard his hurried exit, stealthy as it was. I shifted position on the couch and watched with interest at what might happen next. My eyes caught slight movement behind the ferns some fifty yards from the house and I could make out glimpses of Jasper's pale skin through the foliage.

A few moments later, Renesmee's neck craned and her eyes homed in on the movement. Her arm snaked out and her finger pointed in Jasper's direction. Her finger went back into her mouth thoughtfully and then she put her hand to Rosalie's cheek. Rosalie smiled at the image projected and nodded at Emmett and me.

Renesmee's body tensed again for an instant and she suddenly blurted out "Nook!", once more pointing into the woodland. Jasper's half-hidden form was just visible by a tree several yards further away from where he had just been hiding - his very slight movement away from the tree trunk had caught her attention and so she had invited us to look at what she could see.

Jasper had heard her immediate response and his smile was a mile wide as his long legs carried him back towards the front door of the house. He loped up the front steps and into the living room, blurring over to Renesmee. He planted a kiss on her cheek and exclaimed what a brilliant little girl his niece was.

Rosalie huffed out a sharp and exasperated sigh. "Well of course she is - she's a Cullen isn't she?"

Edward's face was a picture at that comment and I hid my smirk behind my hand.

Rosalie and Emmett continued to point things out to Renesmee and her quiet exclamations rang like a bell through the room. The evening passed comfortably, punctuated only by the cheers and insults of the boys as they jostled with one another on the TV couch.

My evening at the house was terminated when a deer showed itself at the edge of the woods. I heard the rustle of the ferns and quiet crunching of vegetation. Instantly the burning in my throat increased dramatically, as the image of blood pulsing through the animal's veins formed insistently in my mind. Edward heard my growl and was instantly by my side. Renesmee looked at me in alarm, as I fought to bring my thirst under control and not freak my daughter out.

Edward tapped my shoulder gently. "Come on, love, let's get you fed. We'll give the deer a headstart."

We swooped to give Renesmee a kiss on each cheek as we passed.

The deer took off the moment we showed ourselves at the glass of the front door to the house.

With a light kiss on my cheek, Edward took my hand and we sped off into the woods in pursuit, knowing that the deer would be unlikely to outrun either one of us. We were proved right and sharing the kill with Edward inevitably brought out a feral response in me. Watching him feed had become a turn on for me and his eyes danced with delight as they saw mine darken with lust, while we both crouched and sucked down the delicious live-giving liquid.

I eagerly anticipated what would come next.

A phonecall from Alice made Edward veer away from the direction of the house and head towards our marital home.

After racing through the woodland and then through the rooms of the cottage, we had fallen through the doorway of our bedroom and onto the floor. Edward mauled me wordlessly the whole way. His silent ardour was erotic and arousing as hell, and I realised that my face probably reflected my excitement at the imminent lovemaking.

Still without a word as we rolled on the floor, he steadily shed my clothing and his own, capturing my mouth with hot kisses and plundering it with his tongue. After pushing a finger inside me to see how wet I was, making me jerk with need for him while he did so, he evidently needed no further invitation. He set about impaling me on his manhood, to make deliciously passionate love to me on the floor.

My mind cast back to our first night at the cottage when he had been rougher and more insistent, as he ravished me on the carpet, revelling in the raw power I could finally take from him.

This time was different, however. Edward's need for release was no less critical than on that occasion, but his adoration of me was deeper and more sensual.

Edward rocked into me with steady strokes, which tingled inside me and tickled the nerve-endings. Every time I moved my head to one side, arching with pleasure as his thrusts deliciously connected with my sex, Edward's lips followed my mouth and clamped down on it. He wanted to devour me tonight, as if he'd not seen me in months.

My hands caressed his strong biceps, muscled and straining over me as he held himself up while covering my body. My legs were snaked around his hips, pulling him in to me. I moaned into his mouth as my words of passion were stillborn under his insistent tonguing.

When I cupped Edward's face and looked at him, his eyes opened and I saw in them such love and desire that I whimpered in response. My moan drove Edward over the edge and, with a cry, he pumped his seed into me at length, his body jerking as if electric shocks were passing over him. I felt the liquid burst inside me and fill me. My leg muscles quivered with tension and I trembled like a leaf as Edward slumped down on me and cuddled me to him.

Edward groaned and pulled back to look into my face again.

"Oh I'm sorry, my love. I didn't mean to come before you. It was that look you gave me and that moan - I just couldn't help it."

"It's ok, sweetheart. I don't mind. I love the way you love me, you know I do." I smiled up at him.

With a sigh, Edward planted a kiss on my lips and rolled off me, lying on his back with an arm flung above his head. I scooted up to rest my head on his chest and he adjusted himself to put his other arm round me, hugging me to him. We stayed like that for a while, quietly chatting, as my finger lightly described figures of eight over his chest and belly. I treasured the intimacy and relived the lovemaking in the crisp clarity of my new vampire mind.

After a while, I noticed signs of life from Edward's groin area. He hadn't said anything particular, but I noticed tension creeping into our quiet conversation and knew that he was getting steadily more distracted. I sat up and twisted to face him, placing a hand over his manhood and gently massaging it.

"Mmmmm looks like you've got a little problem here, Mr C... I think we need to sort this for you."

Grinning, Edward made to sit up and put his hand on my arm, as if to move it. Swiftly, I pushed him back down onto the floor. The surprised look on his face made me giggle a little.

"Oh, in Dominatrix mode, are we?" he threw at me from his prone position, eyelids heavy with lust.

"Shut up and enjoy!" I countered, bending over him swiftly, with one thing in mind.

Edward's cock twitched as my mouth neared it. It swelled perceptibly as I took it in my hand, firmly grasping it at the base. My lips closed over the tip of the shaft and Edward hissed with pleasure as he felt the pressure of my mouth on him. With my other hand, I lightly fingered his balls, which puckered immediately in response.

"Oh my god, Bella, that's good," moaned Edward. His hand touched my arm as he blindly reached out.

With my tongue, I feathered kisses on the head of his cock, steadily taking more of him in, licking and swiping the length of him. I ran my teeth over his skin, making him shudder with pleasure. That movement brought a grunt and a curse from him.

Alternating hand movements, I rubbed his length and played with the underside of him. When my fingers reached behind his balls, to the sensitive area of skin towards his backside, I thought Edward would gouge lumps out of the carpet, and my arm too, as his grip on both increased dramatically. His back arched off the carpet and he just about purred with pleasure at what my fingers were doing to him.

I sucked on him with renewed vigour, and kept up the assault of sensations on him. His erection was pretty amazing by now, with his excitement levels peaking, and I was having a hard job taking the length of him into my throat.

I looked up, through the curtain of my hair, towards his face and saw that his expression was one of total ecstasy, a smile radiating pleasure, eyes clamped shut as his body took in the pleasures of what I was doing to him. His lips, always kissable at the best of times, caught my attention and I had to break off what I was doing, to go and ravish that mouth for a few moments. I crawled up his body and brought his own scent to him by tonguing him fiercely. I broke off when his arms started to snake around me and I blurred back to carry on what I'd been doing previously.

As my hand pumped him and I bobbed my mouth up and down on him, while fingering the globes of his balls, I could feel his tension rising steadily. His grunts became shallower and his hips bucked up instinctively to meet my down strokes. I could see he was getting carried away and his balls tightened increasingly, so I knew he wasn't far from his release. I could taste the saltiness of his venom rising in him and his calling of my name became more pronounced as I worked on him. He finally placed his hand on my head, encouraging me to take him all the way.

Another few minutes of tonguing and stroking him steadily resulted in a gutteral release of curses, an explosion of venom in my mouth while he jolted as climactic spasms coursed through his body. After several thrusts, he was spent. However, his body continued to jolt in pleasure, like aftershocks.

"Jesus, Bella, what did you do to me?" he finally asked, when the body jolts had subsided.

I couldn't answer him because I was in shock too. I'd swallowed his essence and gently cleaned him up, not wasting a drop, releasing him from my mouth with a kiss. I was feeling quite proud of myself and delighted, but had no words to describe how I was feeling right then.

It was safe to say, I felt pretty damned good and I had a feeling that Edward did too at that moment.

**A/N: Thank you so much for your kindness and continued patience. **

**Apologies this update has taken so long to come to fruition, but I am now several months into a new relationship that is as wonderfully intense and magical as Bella & Edward's (or Yolanda & Liam's for those who have read my other story)! **

**For whatever reason, the writing muse deserted me, but perhaps that was to allow me time to absorb the true nature of meeting a soulmate, for whom I would walk through fire. The fact that I have rheumatoid arthritis, as well as a condition called fibromyalgia, which means each day is filled with my muscles and joints being on fire to some degree, is not lost on me! **

**This latest chapter is also dedicated to the magical man I am beyond thrilled to have met and who has made the future such an exciting prospect. If only I could be with this man for eternity!**

**EDIT: At the same time, I am also filled with great sadness that EliseShaw, a beautiful writer on this site and some others, has been bullied off the site. It is an absolute sin that someone so wonderfully talented and supportive has been driven to this. ****Am heartbroken at the loss of this fabulous writer from the several fan sites we know and love. ****The people responsible for this situation want removing from the forum themselves. Shame on them! Elise explains the situation herself here: www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net /u/1775901/EliseShaw**


	34. Looking in the Eyes of Love

**DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. **

**Warning: **Mushy sentimentality. Oh, and a wee bit of lemony goodness!**  
**

**Dedication: **To Martyn, whom I love truly, madly, deeply.**  
**

**Music: **Looking in the Eyes of Love - Alison Krauss & Union Station**. **For anybody who hasn't heard Alison's sublime voice, you have been missing a real treat. She is also a mean fiddle player, as well as being beautiful. Pah! Some people have all the luck lol!**  
**

**CHAPTER 34: LOOKING IN THE EYES OF LOVE  
**

**BPOV:**

A week had passed since my worshipping of Edward's manhood with my mouth.

I'd seen another side of Edward that time and I smiled quietly to myself whenever those memories passed fleetingly through my mind. Edward caught me musing now and then and looked quizzically at me. I wasn't going to tell him what was on my mind on those occasions, as I had plans to practise a lot more in future and hopefully work lots more magic on him.

The memory of him reclining in pleasure, while I worked on him, was an erotic one. With my "Instamatic" vampire recall, it brought me a sense of gratification that Edward might be embarrassed about - _if _he ever teased that nugget of information from me.

These were the musings of a newlywed teenage vampire lover.

Meanwhile, in the family world, our beautiful daughter was continuing to delight and engage us all and I observed her as a newborn teenage vampire mother.

Renesmee had grown more over the last week and was much steadier on her feet. She actually showed quite a turn of speed when something on the other side of the room caught her eye. We were all becoming adept at stopping her from mischief that might harm her, if she spied an interesting object she was hell-bent on claiming with her hands. It was as well at times that we had superhuman reflexes. Bit by bit, we were toddler-proofing the rooms of the house.

Renesmee was also vocalizing much more and her piping voice led to many smiles and chuckles when she came out with some classic toddler comments. Out of the mouths of babes, as they say. We all acknowledged that we were seeing the world anew through her eyes.

Her titian hair continued to grow apace and was now down past her shoulders. She wasn't hugely keen on it being brushed, but amusingly, it brought pleasure to Edward to attend to it. With Jasper's empathic assistance, Renesmee would stay calm enough for Edward to wield the brush for as long as it took to get any tangles out. "Daddy and daughter time" he called it.

Once the knots were brushed out of her hair, Alice would crown her curls with some twinkly headband, ribbon or hair clip. Renesmee seemed to be sophisticated enough not to hurt herself with hair ornaments and, on the whole, left them alone. Every now and then, however, we'd have to remove a headband from her clutches. It didn't take long for her teeth to destroy anything put in her mouth. It was good that Alice seemingly had an endless supply of hair accessories.

There were occasions when Alice would dress Renesmee in an outfit that mimicked her own, and they would both wear the same style rosette or accessory. At times, I wondered who the mother actually was in the family, since my own suggestions for an outfit consisting of jeans and Tshirt for Renesmee were always swiftly overruled by my sisters in law!

Rosalie continued to vie fiercely with Jacob for the right to feed my daughter. Often, the two of them would bicker so much that Esme, Carlisle or Edward would step in to do the job before Renesmee got fed up and lost patience in her hunger. She was downing two bottles of blood at a time now, evidently needing every drop for her growth spurts. If Rosalie and Jacob had actually thought about it, they could each have fed Renesmee at least once a day, but I knew it gave all family members great pleasure to feed my daughter, so I left them to argue whose turn it was next.

I sincerely wished I could indulge in this little pleasure too, but it was still early days for me where human blood was concerned. My agonising hours during Charlie's visits were one thing, but being only a few inches away from a bottle of blood was quite another.

I sighed wistfully for the umpteenth time as I watched Carlisle do the honours this time. His smile, as he slowly paced the room with Renesmee tucked into the crook of his arm, made me both warm with affection for him and slightly irritated that it wasn't me doing so.

Edward came and plonked himself down on the couch beside me, throwing an arm around my shoulder and pulling me closer to him. He nuzzled my cheek as he whispered in my ear. "He looks quite natural at that, doesn't he, my love?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking that."

Carlisle threw a huge shit-eating grin at us both from his place over by the atrium windows. He shrugged his shoulders in acknowledgement of our whispered conversation. Renesmee sucked greedily at the teat of the bottle and I could see the contents disappearing quickly.

"I wonder if I'll be able to do that with her before she grows too big for bottles?"

A pang of loss tore through me, as I imagined her growth spurt outflanking my own control for human blood. This was one part of motherhood I was missing out on and it pissed me off hugely.

"Try not to think about it, Bella," urged Edward, kindly. "I can guess how hard it must be for you, but we're lucky to have no shortage of volunteers to do the job. At least we know she's getting all the sustenance she needs at the moment to grow into a big strong girl."

"That's easy for you to say, Edward!" I mumbled grumpily.

Carlisle looked across at me again, this time with a sympathetic expression. His eyebrows quirked as he huffed out an "Oh dear," at my comment. He walked slowly across the room towards me. When he reached the couch, he squatted down on his haunches in front of me, with Renesmee still in his arms. Her eyes focused back and forth from Carlisle to me, but she kept sucking her feed down.

Carlisle looked at me earnestly. "Would you like to try feeding her, Bella?"

I hesitated and was about to reach for my baby, when, without me even thinking about it, the proximity of the blood in the bottle flooded my mouth with venom and the burning stepped up a notch. I withdrew my arms immediately and tilted my head back into the couch cushions, to gain a precious inch or two of distance from the source of my discomfort. Edward stilled me by putting his hand on my arm.

I looked between Edward, Carlisle and Renesmee anxiously as panic flooded through me. I couldn't speak.

Seeing the look of alarm on my face, Carlisle nodded his head towards me, huffed out a sympathetic sigh. He rose to his feet again, moving his precious cargo away from me and back towards the window.

"Sorry, Bella, I didn't mean to upset you."

I put my face in my hands and choked back a sob. Disappointment flooded through me and hurt almost as much as the burning in my throat.

"Oh my love, please don't be upset," murmured Edward, as he hugged me closer. "It will come in time, don't you worry."

It took me a while to calm down. Edward tightened his cuddles of me.

Although my control as a newborn vampire was evidently astonishing to the family and a source of much comment, I was still dismayed at my body's automatic reaction to human blood. I felt very keenly that the joy of motherhood should have included being able to feed my baby.

My mind knew the theory of why my body reacted this way, but it still distressed me that one of the crucial elements of motherhood was being denied to me. I knew I should be grateful for having such an extraordinary level of control as a newborn and that I already had much more to appreciate in my new life than other newborns would experience one month into vampirehood. I wasn't always grumpy and did usually count my blessings, but couldn't deny it was still hard to get over not being able to share one of the precious elements of motherhood that bonded a mother with her child.

Edward assured me all the time that Renesmee knew that I loved her very much, as she did me in return. She recognized me as her mother, even though feeding times were a circus of other willing hands to soothe and satisfy her. She loved her other family members too, but Edward took pains to persuade me she loved him and me the most, even above Jacob. At this time, Jacob's link to her was stronger than hers to him.

A pang of loss went through me as I watched Carlisle soothe Renesmee, while she sucked lustily from the bottle she was clutching with Carlisle's help. He quietly paced the length of the atrium window, stopping here and there to slowly comfort and encourage his charge. He gently swayed his body to and fro, crooning to Renesmee as she watched him talk to her.

Every now and then he would take one of her hands and put it to his cheek, looking across at Edward who could, of course, also see what was running through his mind, courtesy of our daughter's touch. They shared a smile, eyes crinkling up in pleasure at the images.

Renesmee's gulping and breathing were what I was focusing on now, impatient to have her in my arms again. Once the second of her bottles was empty, it was whisked away from Carlisle's hand by a vigilant Rosalie.

Carlisle then expertly raised Renesmee to a vertical position at his shoulder and tapped her on the back until she burped, less than delicately, after her feed. This burp resulted in smiling catcalls from Emmett and Jasper, murmurs of appreciation from Esme and Rosalie, and a very toothy grin from ear to ear by a delighted and duly-winded toddler.

As soon as she was comfortable, Renesmee put her hand on Carlisle's cheek. Carlisle looked at her, then at me. "Do you want to go to your momma?"

Renesmee responded by pointing her finger out towards me. I needed no further prompting and blurred to Carlisle's side to take my daughter back into my arms. I gave her and Carlisle a kiss on the cheek before returning to my seat on the couch next to Edward.

"Hello, my princess," murmured Edward to our daughter, as he lifted her hand up to kiss it. Renesmee's response was another toothy grin and batting of her eyelashes with pleasure at her daddy. She had him wound round her little finger and she knew it!

Edward and I spent the next couple of hours chatting with each other, and with Renesmee, as we both cuddled her in turn.

The sound of our voices eventually lulled her to sleep and I spent a very pleasant time rocking her in my arms, drinking in her scent and enjoying the warmth of her body next to mine. I still marveled at how she never seemed to notice the coolness of our skin, although we made sure she was not overdressed, so as not to cause her discomfort with overheating. Even though she'd started toddling around, she still spent the majority of her time in a family member's arms. Except for occasional naps in Edward's old room, when he and I wanted to chill out up there with her, the only time Renesmee actually slept in a crib was at night back at the cottage.

I knew we were being a little indulgent with her, but she seemed to enjoy the variety of experiences gained from being ushered around by so many family members.

Even Emmett clammered to hold her for a while every day. Seeing him walk around with her, either monkey-walking or holding her aloft in his arms, it made us smile and tease him for being a giant softie. Renesmee couldn't quite manage his name yet, so she called him "Met". Rosalie was "Wose". Alice was "Liss". Carlisle was "Poppa". Jasper was simply "Purr", which is what that old southern charmer did when she went to him.

A few days ago, Emmett, Edward and Rosalie had started a pass-the-parcel game with her as the parcel. Emmett, being Emmett, was always one to push the bounds of any situation. Each day since first starting the game, he and Edward threw a very giggly toddler between them, while moving around the living room area. As the days were passing, the distance between them was growing ever larger and now they were throwing her across the couches, over the heads of whoever was sitting there.

Esme initially clucked mild disapproval when she saw the guys doing this, but even she couldn't stop smiling at Renesmee's total delight from whizzing through the air between her daddy and her uncle. My daughter often replayed her experiences of this game in our communal winding down of the day, after her last feed in the evening and before returning to the cottage at night. Her delight and trust were wonderful to witness, secondhand as the images were when her hand was on my cheek. I suspected she was going to grow into a fearless little girl, courtesy of Emmett's athletic enthusiasm, aided and abetted by an excitable Jacob.

Jake occasionally participated in this parcel game, to Renesmee's further delight, and tended to watch very closely when anyone else was playing the game with her. Woe betide that any harm should befall his little imprinted soulmate! We chuckled when he "out-clucked" Esme with concern and tried shutting down a throwing game in case Renesmee grew dizzy or sick.

Renesmee was certainly proving to be a boon to the family in so many ways. The joys of having her around far outweighed the worries, although the worries were never far from our minds. Carlisle, Edward and Jasper were still leading the research into her hybrid status, putting unspecific feelers out to our Denali cousins, and other covens they could trust.

Meanwhile, Renesmee was growing and changing steadily, and very much the light of our lives.

She was healthy and robust. Her hummingbird heart was the center of our world and she seemed to be a very contented child.

Watching her with Edward was one of my favorite things. He had taken to fatherhood very well and I felt it was thanks to Carlisle and Esme's parenting and nurturing of him, over the past 90 years, which enabled him to take to parenting so well himself. Carlisle's face was a picture of pride and happiness when he also watched Edward with his granddaughter. Esme looked on fondly and only occasionally felt the need to adjust Edward's own conduct with Renesmee. Edward was now expert in feeding, holding and winding his daughter, and looked supremely natural at it. From my observations of him, he might well have been a father in his 30s rather than a teenager handling a child for the first time. I loved him all the more for it.

That evening, when Edward and I had taken Renesmee home to the cottage and put her to bed, we cuddled up on the couch in our little living room for a while in companionable silence.

When I moved to stretch and snuggle in closer, Edward kissed the top of my head. "You've been quiet today, my love. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just been musing about you, me and Renesmee."

Edward pulled back from me a little and cupped my cheek to look at my face. "Oh? What's on your mind?"

"Watching you today with our daughter made me both happy and sad." I let out a long sigh.

"Go on."

"You know how much I already love you, right?"

Edward nodded silently as he waited for me to expand on things.

"Well, seeing how you are with Renesmee just makes me love you even more."

"Thank you, sweetheart. So that's the happy part, right?"

I nodded but didn't say anything more.

"What's the sad part? No, don't tell me. Let me guess." Edward made a face and looked thoughtful. "I'm guessing you're sad because we don't know what the future holds for her and we don't know how long we've got with her. Right?"

I nodded my head again, but couldn't speak, because I was choking back a lump the size of Kansas in my throat. Edward pulled me to him and cuddled me tightly. "Oh my love, please don't fret. Carlisle thinks she'll be fine and he's doing all he can to find out more about her condition -"

"Yeah, I know all that," I interrupted, "But how can I not worry about her when she's growing so quickly and her body might not be able to take all the dramatic changes that keep happening to her?"

"Bella, Bella, Bella, ssshhhh. I have the same worries, my love, but we can only take each day as it comes. She's doing fine. She's both healthy and happy so far. Why shouldn't that continue?"

"I know, I know, but she's the first hybrid Carlisle has encountered in all his centuries as a vampire. If he doesn't know how things will turn out, you can't blame me for worrying. I'm her mother, after all."

I choked back a sob and buried my face in Edward's chest. He moved to cup my face in his hands.

"Listen to me, sweetheart. You can hear her heart just like I can and it's showing no signs of strain. Don't you think if her body was struggling with the daily changes that Nessie would be unhappy and showing signs of distress? As long as we're feeding her enough blood, she should stay strong and healthy."

"Yeah, but for how long? Even you can't predict how things will go."

"We'll cross that bridge _if_ and when we come to it." Edward dropped a kiss on my lips. "Bella, don't worry about what we can't control. Just enjoy her for what and how she is. If you get distressed, she'll get distressed and we can't have that, can we?"

I nodded resignedly.

"Yeah, I s'pose so. It's just that I look at her beautiful face and couldn't bear for her to be snatched away - not after all we went through to bring her safely into this world."

Edward's face contorted with sadness and he kissed me full on the lips and hugged me to him for several minutes. A moment of panic went through me. I pulled away from Edward's hug.

"Oh shit, I need to cuddle her..."

I leapt to my feet and darted towards the nursery, with Edward not two paces behind. I swept a sleeping Renesmee into my arms and cuddled her to me about one second before Edward wrapped his arms around us both in a massive hug.

Renesmee didn't stir to wakefulness, but sighed and swallowed as she adjusted herself to snuggle into my neck. Her warm breath lightly danced across my skin and I melted with the love I had for her. Edward rocked us both for the next hour as we breathed in our daughter's sweet scent and listened to her heart beating steadily as she slept on. She was at peace and her sleepy presence eventually calmed us down until we were ready to lay her back down in her crib.

Edward kissed Renesmee's forehead before I relinquished my grip on her. I stroked her head as she snuffled quietly. Edward then pulled me gently away from the crib, kissed me tenderly and led me from the nursery into our bedroom.

"C'mon, my love, you are in serious need of some comforting. Let me take care of you for a bit."

I followed him without a word.

When we reached our bed, Edward silently stripped off our clothing until we were both naked in the candlelight. I passed my hand over his chest and marveled once more at the scintillation of his skin in the flickering half-light. I rarely looked at my own skin, always preferring to look at his.

I breathed out a heavy sigh and tucked my arms around Edward as he began to kiss his way round the edge of my jaw and down my neck. He knew how much I loved my throat being kissed and how it made me feel. Edward's tenderness was what I needed right now and he was intuitive enough to know that.

He picked me up in his arms and laid me down gently on the bedcover, crawling up onto the bed beside me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and drew him down for a much-needed lingering kiss. The kiss deepened into something more passionate and I used my newborn strength to pull his body down over mine, so his torso was across mine but his legs still flush alongside mine.

Edward pulled back from me for a second. "Ssshh, my love, let me do the work here. Lie back and relax. Let me make love to you, Bella."

Edward was as good as his word.

He cupped my breast in his hand and gently laved at its tip with his tongue. The sensitive tip peaked under his tonguing and tingled wonderfully. He did likewise with my other breast, and then alternated his attentions, gently licking, massaging and pinching each one and making me moan.

His lips begged entrance to mine, in between his kissing and fondling of my breasts. He languidly trailed his tongue over my stomach and down towards my mound. He stopped before he got there and when he slipped a finger into my folds, he found the moistness he was undoubtedly hoping for.

He let out a groan and licked me all the way back to my lips, where he gave me long slow kisses as he massaged me slowly down below. I was conscious of him describing circles around the most sensitive part of me. As I sucked on his tongue and slowly writhed under his rubbing, the smell of my arousal reached me and made my venom rise. If I could smell it, then so could Edward.

I blindly reached across to his groin with my free hand and grasped his erection, starting a rhythmic stroke up and down its length. Edward's lips left mine momentarily to exhale a hiss of pleasure. "Oh, Bella, my Bella," he murmured, renewing his attack on my mouth.

My stroking of him encouraged his hips to thrust forward in time with my motion. His erection grew stronger, straining against my hand. Our breaths were the only sounds as we steadily moved towards the next stage.

Edward silently moved my hand away from his length. He licked my fingers and kissed the palm of my hand, before moving his body to hover over mine. He nudged my knees apart and knelt before me in all his glory. His erection strained and stood proudly upright. His eyes were heavy with lust as he looked into mine. He took hold of my legs and pulled me down the bed slightly until his cock was placed at my entrance.

"Bella, my love, I want to watch you as I make love to you."

I nodded silently.

He moved forward and ever so slowly moved inside me, inch by glorious inch. He rested his weight on his elbows and brought his lips to mine as he entered me. My automatic reaction was to close my eyes when our lips locked.

"No, Bella. Look at me, sweetheart. I want to see your beautiful face."

I opened my eyes again and looked up into his face, which was full of love.

Once he had my gaze held in his, he started to move within me, withdrawing to the tip and then sliding slowly but firmly back in, more deeply each time. As he moved in and out of me, grazing that sweet spot just inside my entrance, my thighs quivered and I moaned with pleasure. After several passes like that, my legs snaked around his waist, altering the angle, so he could drive inside me even more deeply. His breathing also deepened while he stared into my eyes, as if trying to hypnotize me. He dropped kisses on my lips, thrusting his tongue inside my mouth. I sucked on it, reveling in his taste and his evident adoration of me. I lapped up every bit of tongue-loving he gave me. I hungered for it.

As his rhythmic stroking of my insides sped up, my inner walls started to flutter with the tingling sensations. Each pass of my sweet spot made me latch onto Edward's tongue more greedily. Each time he pulled away to look in my eyes, I used my superior strength to pull him back towards my face.

Finally, he groaned and put his arms under my shoulders, pulling me into a horizontal bearhug and latching onto my neck. I felt the now familiar coil tightening in me and the friction that Edward was giving me was sending me further into that frenzy of pleasure he was seeking to give us both.

He worked over me steadily until, finally, the friction became too much and I groaned out his name as my walls clamped down on his length.

My neediness had translated into passion, my tension into release. Waves of pure pleasure ignited and pulsed through me, almost making me black out.

Edward moaned in response and his open-mouthed kiss of my neck strengthened to become a love-bite.

His own cry of release nearly deafened me as he spasmed several times and tightened his grip on my shoulders. I clung onto him and felt him empty into me. I hugged him tightly, not wanting to let him go.

As Edward calmed after several aftershocks, he moved his lips back over mine and held me in a deep kiss. He then kissed my forehead and rested his own against me. "Bella, my beautiful Bella. I love you so much."

I looked up into his gaze and my dead heart flipped when I saw that I was looking into the eyes of love.

**A/N: Thank you so much for your kindness and continued patience. Abject apologies this update has taken so long to come along. Real life has blown me away over recent months!**

**If you have not already come across them, I would also like to recommend the fictions Unloved Unwanted Divergence, and Unexpected Awakenings, by my wonderful friends Content1 and Totteacher, respectively. These two wonderful people sometimes doubt their abilities and whatever I say to persuade them otherwise seems to fall on deaf ears! I rather think you'll agree with me that these two writers are hugely talented.  
**


	35. Chasing Cars

DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight. It has been a while since I played in their sandpit and made gothic castles.

**Warning: **Long overdue lemony goodness

**Dedication: **To TwilightLoverSue and Content1- my saviours in recent weeks after months adrift in "Writer's Block Purdah" and that deep, dark place called "a slice of Depression with a large dollop of Pain"! It's just east of the Atlantic on what passes for dry land in this part of the UK lol.

**Music: **"Cadillac Ranch" by Bruce Springsteen**  
**

**CHAPTER 35: CHASING CARS *  
**

**BPOV:**

The cosy enveloping purple of twilight found Edward and me back at our cottage. We were stretched out on our bed, luxuriating in some private time away from the family.

Although the past few weeks had made me more familiar with what my body could do and had encouraged the self-control everyone was still marveling at, the time spent with my new family had not made living in a vampire goldfish bowl any easier.

While I was grateful for all their support with caring for our daughter and for helping me to curb my craving for human blood when Charlie visited, I still hankered after the kind of personal space that being an only child used to offer.

My main cravings in this new life so far were for Edward, for our daughter and for blood, of course. The order of craving usually depended on which had my attention at any given time, but my newborn urgencies still tested my resolve and concentration. I knew I could not live without any of my cravings, no matter that two of these pleasures were so new to me.

It was a relief to be in the calm oasis of the cottage. Edward and I were simply back to being a newlywed couple, snuggling up and mulling over our day. Our gorgeous daughter would be spending the night with the family up at the main house.

Renesmee had spent the afternoon dashing around and playing with her devoted family members in turn, showing them practically all of the toys in her arsenal. This was saying something, given the generous nature of her relatives. There was great fun to be had with everything, so far as Renesmee was concerned.

Her body had changed some more and her energy levels today had pretty much matched her legs, which had lengthened again. I idly wondered if she would be tall like Edward, or petite with slim legs like me. Her body had lost some of its babyish roundness, and the time she spent not tucked in a family member's arms was generally very active. She had a great turn of speed and boundless enthusiasm for playtime and learning.

The large blanket boxes in the main living room were only part of her great stash of goodies. There was also a whole playroom devoted to her needs and bit by bit, through the afternoon, Emmett and Edward had gradually brought out the larger items into the floor area of the main living room. I watched, mesmerised, as my daughter enchanted each of the Cullen men with her learning abilities and her mastery of the educational items which Esme, Rosalie and Alice continued to spoil her with.

There was much laughter to be had as some of the items such as wooden toys, and a huge parking garage with vehicles, had fallen foul of Renesmee's iron grip, in her enthusiasm to show off in front of her audience. What was not mangled, as she determinedly put item A into slot B, had bite sized pieces taken out of it as she literally chewed on the challenges in front of her.

She offered a variety of mangled objects to each of us, giving them her own special name as she placed them in our hands, and she seemed pleased to pass gifts around the room.

"What in hell are we going to do with all this trash?" enquired Emmett, as he held up a tortured and twisted neon yellow garage roof and a badly dented panelled toy van in his huge hands.

Jasper grinned across at him. "Why not make a sculpture for the garden?"

He warmed to his theme. "You could mold and twist the pieces and ram them into the earth outside or stick them all together on a stone plinth. We could call it Renesmee's Ruins."

"Yeah, right, dude. Whatever you say."

Renesmee frowned as she tried to make sense of what her uncles were saying. Her upturned face, as she looked from Emmett, to Jasper, and then to me, took on a toothy grin as we encouraged her to play some more.

As she slowly cleared the floor of offending items, she would scoot onto her feet and dash back into the playroom for something else. Edward was kept busy loping after her, as he spied the next target in her mind. He would return to the room clutching the object of her desire triumphantly in one arm, with his daughter clutched tightly in his other. A kiss plonked on her cheek as he put her down on the floor would net him a "Ta!" and she would quickly become engrossed in playtime with the new object.

Meanwhile, Esme or Rosalie would have blurred around the room to tidy away the mangled toys and clear the floor of debris, leaving a safe and spacious floor space once more. The destroyed objects were placed in a large box, too tall for Renesmee to see into and cause further mischief.

Renesmee's hair had grown some more and tumbled like a waterfall of wavy coiled copper perfection down her back. The curls were more pronounced now and the contrast between the colour of her hair and her skin had also become more noticeable. I marveled at the different strands of colour in her hair, from dark reds to light golds. I doubted that human eyes could identify the variety of colours to be seen on her head. When I compared her hair to Edward's, I could see that his had many more reds and coppers in than hers. The difference in their eye colours was also beautiful, and I could see how their combined appearance differed greatly from each other. I wondered if Charlie noticed such things, caught in her spell as he was.

Charlie's visits were still painful to me where my restraint was concerned. Edward always hovered beside me trying not to show his anxiety. I could see that he was unsettled by not being able to read my mind during the visits - after all, all he needed was one second's notice in order to step in and make a situation safer. He could not be afforded this luxury where I was concerned, but he did his best to be friendly and conversational, while not seeming to be over-protective.

Renesmee was as good as gold during Charlie's visits. Her silence in his presence was admirable, although she often looked at Edward or me for reassurance when Charlie spoke directly to her. He took home several mangled pieces of toy as his "gifts" from her, scratching his head and commenting at how expensive her destructive talents must be.

She also had a habit of feeding him the cookies which Esme baked for his visits. She would make a show of biting a biscuit or mashing it up and then spilling the pieces. This deflected attention from the fact that she actually did not eat any of the biscuit. Charlie never seemed to notice this, happily consuming anything that Esme or Renesmee offered to him. I knew he missed my cooking and that I should make the effort to bake him something from my old repertoire when I was less easily distracted.

Charlie would coo at Renesmee and make comments about her appearance, either her pretty "as dressed by Alice" outfits or her long legs and hair. To my surprise and great relief, he never pressed for the reasons behind her quickly-changing appearance. His taciturn nature helped us to avoid discussing this delicate issue.

We knew Charlie was an intelligent man, with more than adequate detective and reasoning skills, but we were thankful he never made an issue of the questions which must have been burning his brain after his visits. In a way, we wished that Harry Clearwater were still alive to help, in his easy-going humorous way, with the magical elements surrounding the Cullen and Quileute lives. We knew that Billy Black and Sue Clearwater would be doing the best they could to deal with the more awkward moments out of our earshot.

I was still just very thankful that Charlie could be part of our world, albeit in a limited way, so he could spend time with his granddaughter. I was saddened that my mother was absent from Renesmee's life, but my instinct told me that, despite all of her spiritual classes and madcap quests into alternative lifestyles, she would still not be ready to meet her amazing granddaughter. Charlie had mentioned that he had headed her off at the pass a few times, when she insisted she wanted to check on me. Edward had told me that he'd determined, without asking, that Charlie was refusing to reveal my whereabouts. I sent up silent thanks that my mother was easily distracted herself and very much immersed in her new life in Jacksonville with Phil, and that his schedule kept them very busy. I knew she loved me, but her butterfly mind kept her busy as well.

Turning my attention fully back to Renesmee, I was startled to notice Rosalie dash suddenly to her side. The reason for Rosalie's shushing noises, as she knelt down beside Renesmee, became evident when she plucked her niece from the floor and popped her onto her lap.

At that moment, I spied a piece of toy lodged in the vertical edge of Esme's prized stone coffee table. I scooted over to have a closer look, although I could see the item quite clearly from where I had been sat. I should not have been astonished. The cream sandstone of the table had been garishly decorated by a bright red toy Ferrari, which was now sticking out from it, trunk upwards.

Muffled chuckles went round the room as all eyes suddenly turned to Esme.

Her face changed from a shocked expression to a stricken one for a moment or two. In human fashion, she expelled air resignedly and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well, I guess it was time for a change anyway. Perhaps we can put that table in the playroom as Renesmee's first masterpiece."

"Hell, I vote that we all ram a piece of toy into the tabletop and make it a Cullen masterpiece, inspired by Renesmee." Emmett's impish enthusiasm was catching. His boyish charm came through and his eyes sparkled as he grinned.

"Well, you did just ask the question and Renesmee obviously liked Jasper's suggestion," countered Esme, drawing attention back to the conversation a few moments earlier.

"Ok, here goes then," said Emmett.

He swooped down to the table. Two seconds later, the panelled van he'd been holding was embedded vertically in the surface of the table, next to the Ferrari.

"My turn," commented Rosalie. "Hmmm..."

She daintily selected another vehicle, which just happened to be a miniature version of Edward's Aston Martin. A moment later, it too graced the table. Rosalie grinned up at Edward, challenging him to say something. He merely snorted and rolled his eyes.

Emmett let out an exclamation, which sounded more like a bark.

"Hey, this kinda looks like that vehicle sculpture out in the Texas desert, you know, the one with all the Cadillacs pointing skywards? You know the one, don'tcha, Jasper?"

Emmett grinned and offered Jasper a black Cadillac to plant in the table. "Here you go, Jazz. You gonna make a contribution or shall I do it for ya?"

Jasper grumbled, but looked resigned."Y'all know that the Cadi has the biggest trunk, don't ya? Great for vamps when they need get out of the sunlight! I heard it in a movie once." **

He grinned, then loped to the table and buried the toy car in a spot just along from the others.

I picked Renesmee up from Rosalie's knee and slid her onto my hip, enjoying the warmth of her body. As other family members picked a vehicle and rammed it into the table, Renesmee's eyes danced merrily. She jiggled about against my body and clapped her hands in approval.

A human looking at the display would see a line of cars, but only a vampire would make out that the cars were meticulously lined up. We might be having fun, but it was expert fun.

"I think we're onto a winner here, my love," commented Edward as he slid behind us both. "Our creative daughter has definitely caused a stir!"

Renesmee turned and put her palm on Edward's cheek.

"I love you too, sweetheart," purred my daughter's starry-eyed father. He gently tickled her under the chin and put a gentle kiss on her cheek.

When it came to my turn, I picked a flatbed truck that was as close in style as possible to my beloved old rust-bucket which I'd driven until shortly before our wedding. Even though Jacob and Rosalie had hauled it back to the Cullen property to work on it, I had never driven the truck again.

"This one's for Jacob!" I exclaimed, as I slid the orange truck very firmly into place next to the other vehicles.

I wasn't the only one who had heard the rustling out in the tree line, heralding the arrival of the Quileutes. Rosalie snickered at my pathetic attempt at humour.

Jacob and Seth materialised at the main door and entered the house unbidden. I noted them sizing up the proceedings.

"What the heck is going on here?" asked Jacob. His puzzlement turned to a cheesy grin when he worked it out. "Ok, can I do one too?"

"Sure," replied Emmett, handing over the vehicles that were left.

I didn't think about what Jacob had said for a moment, until he did his best to mash a Transam into the surface of the table. Naturally, all he did was bend the car and not the table. This led to inevitable heckling and jeering by Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie.

Renesmee held her hand out towards him and offered her assessment. "Mine! Mine!"

Jacob gave her the car and I bent down so she could reach the table. Jacob arranged the toy in Renesmee's hand a bit, then put his hand over hers and together they pushed the toy into the stone.

"That's my girl!" chuckled Jacob. He stood upright again and put his arms out towards Renesmee. She leaned out from my hip, so he could gently take her into his warm cuddle.

Renesmee obviously didn't mind Jacob's comment, but Edward wasn't too enthusiastic. He coughed gently.

"Oh yeah? Whose girl, exactly?" He stepped forward towards Jacob with a mock menacing look on his face.

"Oops, guess I got that wrong. Sorry, Edward. Keep your hair on." His expression was not as bashful as his tone of voice. He reached over to Edward and ruffled his hair, jokingly.

"Don't ruin the hair," chimed Alice, "He spent hours getting it just the right kind of messy!"

"You speak for yourself, sister dear!" Edward's hand went automatically to his head and mussed his hair further in that gesture he never usually thought about, but must now be very conscious of.

I didn't listen in detail to their exchanges as they continued to trade insults to and fro. Edward's eyes were light with humour as they bantered, and his brothers also joined in the light-hearted teasing.

My heart melted to see him relaxing into his brotherly role in a way much more in keeping with his human age. The old Edward would probably not have taken the teasing so well, but he was more certain of himself and his place in the family these days. I smiled as I watched the body language of those around me and it warmed my no-longer-beating heart that the trials of the past year seemed very firmly behind us.

More than one miracle had occurred for me and for the Cullen family. Wounds had been healed and simple pleasures brought back to life.

I focused increasingly on Edward, watching him relaxing into the banter and pushing back against the physical digs from his brothers as they all shared a joke. Edward, in turn, glanced at me more often as I observed their body language. Bit by bit, I noticed a tension developing in him as his glances became more lingering. I kept my arms folded and said nothing, although I did grin a lot. It didn't take too long for Edward to move back over to my side and pull my arm around him, so he could fit me into the curve of his body. The one-armed cuddle became a two-armed cuddle, with him kissing the top of my head to punctuate the conversation around us.

When Jasper started rolling his eyes in our direction, I caught on quickly to what he must be reacting to. I looked up at Edward to see him staring at me very intently. We made our excuses and headed out to "hunt", leaving Renesmee behind with a now-squabbling Jacob and Rosalie for a while.

***LE***

The hunt was, of course, deferred. Edward had taken my hand in his and made a beeline for the path to the cottage. I kept the look of surprise off my face and simply enjoyed stretching my legs out in the run, after spending several hours being fairly static at the main house.

On arrival at the cottage, Edward wasted no time in ushering me through to the bedroom. He picked me up and threw me onto the bed. The bed groaned ominously.

We settled down into as close a snuggle as our bodies would allow, while we giggled and joked about the day's events. I was deliberately teasing him, when I knew he had other things on his mind. As it was, the gentle jiggling of our bodies gave us added pleasure. Edward leaned in frequently to snatch a kiss or tease one from me as his delighted smile lit up his handsome face and made my desire for him steadily rise.

I found myself biting my lip as I regarded him. Finally, Edward could hold off no longer and latched onto my lips ardently. He rolled me over in a tangle of limbs, while he fumbled with our clothing and tried to nibble his way over to my neck. His lilac scent wafted over me and drew me in.

Once Edward had succeeded in removing my top, his control slipped and his fumblings became more urgent. There was a look of determination on his face, as well as urgency.

My bra was soon a shredded mess on the floor, along with the blue jeans which Alice hated me wearing.

Edward's mouth captured my over-sensitive nipples and had me raking my hands through his hair to hold him to me as he suckled on each breast. My nipples pebbled in reaction to Edward's tonguing and gentle teasing. When I was human, I could not have dreamed that my vampire body would be so sensitive to Edward's touch. My human body had felt like it was hugging marble each time I cuddled with him. Now that I was transformed and Edward's touch was like mine, I reveled in the sensations he had brought to me each and every day in my new vampire life.

I stopped my momentary musings and used my superior strength to roll Edward onto his back, so I could straddle him and dominate the proceedings for a bit.

His delighted laugh gave me such pleasure that I grinned like the Cheshire Cat and proceeded to remove his pants, so I could get at his very evident tumescence. Edward shucked the offending garment down over his hips quickly, while I pulled on the material demandingly from my new location down near his feet. I had finally gauged the right pressure to use on denim jeans and, for once, the sturdy fabric did not dissolve under my touch. Not that I would have cared at that moment if it had torn to pieces.

It was a matter of a nanosecond or two to send the pants sailing through the air to join my clothing on the floor.

When every inch of Edward's body was revealed to me, I took a moment to enjoy the awesome sight of his tight abs rippling with tension, his muscled arms topped by slender fingers gripping my knees. I had edged forward up his long legs until seated over the hot spot which had more than likely claimed his full attention for the few moments it took to undress him.

After a few seconds of my stare, he looked up at me with slight puzzlement in his eyes.

"Er, what?" His voice was hushed and slightly hesitant.

"Oh, nothing. Was just admiring this handsome man I'm sharing a bed with."

My finger traced the planes of his six-pack. I tried to appear nonchalant, but didn't succeed too well. As a human, my breath would catch and my heart speed up almost painfully as adrenaline and hormones flooded my system when seeing his body unclothed. My reaction as a vampire was similar but, of course, different. But no less intense. I could still not keep the wonder from my voice.

Edward's expression now took on a slightly cocky look. "Like what you see?"

I stared down at my husband. My smile got cheesier and I leaned forward to grip the sides of his face in my palms, before planting a huge kiss on his lips.

"Damned right I like what I see. When I was human, I never dared to believe that you could love me just as much as I love you. But now, I do believe it. You're mine, all mine."

"Uh-huh, you got that right, my beautiful Bella. Yours, always yours."

Edward's arms snaked around my shoulders and pulled me back in for a long, languorous kiss. Our tongues meshed and fought for dominance. We ended the kiss with me slowly nibbling his lips and licking my venom over them. I traced the outline of his lips slowly and felt him almost humming from the sensation of it.

Through this sensual moment, I could also feel Edward's cock flexing underneath me, almost lifting me off his lap. We had to do something about that.

I wriggled out of Edward's hug and dispensed with the rest of my underwear. When I sat back down on his lap, the heat of his skin almost burned mine off. I adjusted my position a little and felt his ramrod straight manhood prodding the entrance to me impatiently.

Edward was almost vibrating with want. I put a finger down to my sex and lightly daubed it with my juices, before offering it to Edward. His eyes darkened and he growled. He opened his mouth and sucked on my finger greedily, purring noisily and pulling his body taut, eyes firmly shut as he savoured the taste of my own desire. He inhaled deeply and his nostrils flared as he drank in the aroma of my body.

With my finger still in his mouth, I sank happily onto his rampant shaft and began the gentle movements that I was learning could bring me such pleasure and relief.

Edward's eyes snapped open and his hands moved to my hips to keep me steady and guide the speed for us both. His eyes never left mine while we steadily moved as one.

The feeling of fullness and the look in Edward's eyes drove me on. My hips undulated and my thighs fairly dripped with the fluids of my arousal. The wet sounds were erotic and almost wanton. I could hear him sliding through the moisture.

Edward tilted me back slightly to push himself inside me further. His raised knees kept me from slipped backwards. I gripped his arms and moved over him as he rhythmically stroked into me and stimulated my G spot so wonderfully. I could feel pressure building inside me as his length passed deep inside and then withdrew, making me constantly beg him to surge back into my needy body. I kept plunging downwards on his upstroke. His cock pressed the sides of my walls and, unbelievably, lengthened even further. The wonderful thing about my new vampire body was that I could feel every millimetre of him as it strained and expanded within me.

Edward suddenly let out a curse and pulled himself up to a sitting position. "Oh God, Bella, I can't last much longer!"

He kissed me forcefully as his tongue sought to penetrate my mouth, mimicking what he was already doing to me down below. I used his grip to counterbalance myself as I raised my hips and slammed down onto him, time and again. His muffled moans excited me and carried me away with as much power and energy as I could muster. Edward never complained or tried to stop me, although I later realised my efforts and my grip must have been painful for him.

As I plunged down on Edward one more time, he gripped me so tightly that I could not rise again. He shouted his release and threw his head back while he shuddered from his climax. He grunted with every spurt. I felt his essence shoot up my canal, the force of its transit tingling its way northwards until it hit the buffers at the top. My pelvic muscles had already started to clamp down on my final plunge and they were now tickled into releasing their energy like a volcano spewing lava. I felt that magical wave after wave of beautiful release throw my body into as powerful an orgasm as I'd had as a vampire.

It would have taken my breath away, had my lungs needed air. I know that if we had been human, we would have been bathed in sweat and struggling to get oxygen back in our air-deprived lungs. As it was, I was grateful to still feel so many human sensations in these moments.

As we came down from our high, I didn't move from my husband's lap. I put my forehead against his and we chuckled, a little hysterically it must be said, alternately kissing and laughing.

My new husband astounded me every day. Before I met Edward, I hadn't known that you could love someone so completely and ache so needily when not around them. I also hadn't known that an all-consuming love could expand exponentially when you added physical delights to the mix.

I was still learning to be a woman while I was learning to be a vampire. I was very happy that Edward would be my teacher in both endeavours.

**A/N: Thank you so much for your kindness and continued patience. Apologies this update has taken so long to come along. Gruesome gritty real life brought me to my knees this year and not in a good way. This came months after the miracle of finding my soulmate. Yes, THE love of my life walked into my life and great changes ensued. The gruesome and the gaspworthy were definitely not connected, but the former has impacted hugely on my writing ability! I've spent months reading fiction rather than writing it.  
**

**If you have not already come across them, I'd also like to recommend the fictions Unloved Unwanted Divergence, and Unexpected Awakenings, by my wonderful friends Content1 and Totteacher, respectively. TwilightLoverSue's entry into the fiction-writing world, with Once Bitten, is also excellent an d well worth the visit. Oh boy, are we lucky! These three wonderful people sometimes doubt their abilities and whatever I've said to persuade them otherwise seems to fall on deaf ears at times! Go see their stuff. I rather think you'll agree with me that they're hugely talented. ****Actually, ANYTHING of theirs is worth the read. **

*** Anybody who knows me, will know I can't resist a Snow Patrol link of some kind! The lyrics soothe me. The theme to both song and chapter are evident. But equally, I couldn't resist getting The Boss in on the act for the musical theme - I've only seen him play live 5 times, but who's counting lol.  
**

**** For anybody slightly "movie geeky" like me, the movie was "Nick Knight" ("Forever Knight" in Canada) with singer Rick Springfield.  
**


	36. APOLOGIES

DISCLAIMER: the wonderful Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and world of Twilight.

**APOLOGIES**

This note is by way of an apology to all of you who have been kind enough to read and/or review my story Loving Edward over time and who have waited so patiently for an update of it.

I'm afraid that Real Life has scattered my writing muse to the winds for several months now and I must take the pragmatic view that I'm unlikely to settle down and write anything Twilight-related for the foreseeable future.

The fire has gone out of my Twilight obsession! Therefore, I must regretfully put this story on permanent hiatus.

Thank you to EVERYONE who has supported me in this endeavour. Best wishes to you all.

Meanwhile, I'd be more than happy to be a pre-reader for anybody who wishes to get their writing out there, but who feels their spelling is a bit dodgy or might need tweaking. Proof-reading is my stock in trade! Am happy to say that the authoresses who kindly let me pre-read their stories on here (and let me offer encouragement in doing so_ - the good ones always feel their work is never good enough!_) have gone on to win awards - either for the stories I was lucky enough to pre-read or with their subsequent stories. My thanks to you guys - you know who you are!

If you have a story to write, then I hope you'll have the courage to put it out there. It's a wonderful feeling when you know someone appreciates your efforts. I only hope that the authoresses, who became my friends during the various collaborations, will continue with their writing and, hopefully, go on to write completely original material in due course.

Blessings on you all,

Sammi


End file.
